Page 13 - Škrgat, Sabina, ed. 2022. Severe Asthma - Basic and Clinical Views. Koper: University of Primorska Press. Severe Asthma Forum, 1
P. 13
Preface
Sabina Škrgat1,2
Asthma is an airway disease which, in its se- otorhinolaryngologist. Undoubtedly impor- 1 University Medical Centre
vere forms, represents a serious burden for pa- tant and valuable partners in the team are Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
tients – due to continuous treatment and its also an experienced severe asthma nurse, psy-
side effects, comorbidities and asthma exacer- chologist, nutritionist, good respiratory phys- 2 Faculty of Medicine,
bations. Many of them have a continuous fear iotherapist and clinical pharmacist to provide University of Ljubljana,
of new exacerbations that might happen in fu- support. When patients experience this ap- Ljubljana, Slovenia
ture and a lower quality of life as they are de- proach which enables them to control their
prived of many a fine experience. asthma, they often say that they are not of-
ten treated so comprehensively. My answer to
It is still possible to die because of asth- them is simple and clear: “You are not mere-
ma. My teachers still saw young people die in ly the lungs that come through the door of our
intensive care units due to severe asthma ex- outpatient clinic, but you are a whole person.”
acerbations. I was exceptionally fortunate to Many times this is followed by silence, a tim-
become a medical doctor at a time when the id smile and a moment of happiness – both
basic therapy with inhaled glucocorticoids the patient’s and mine in my role of a thera-
had already been introduced, although the pist. Because we have succeeded, both the pa-
knowledge about the mysteries of inhalers and tient and my team.
inhalation techniques was far from being as
clear as it is today. This was a proper revolu- My belief is that in addition to a perfect-
tion in asthma treatment. Now, in the area of ly organized “micro-environment” in which
biologics, we – the therapists – are probably in the patients are treated, a good professional
the middle of the second revolution in asthma outcome also requires professional consensus
treatment. But despite all these steps forward, at a national level, which has actually been
we can see that it is still not possible to pre- achieved in numerous fields. The cherry on
vent, at least in some patients, a need for sys- the cake is surely our participation at the in-
temic glucocorticoids in maintenance or spo- ternational level, both regionally and at the
radic treatment. These patients might have level of the European Respiratory Society.
a huge systemic glucocorticoid burden, they The idea to launch the Severe asthma forum
have greater mortality and they need a special was born in cooperation with prof. Peter Ko-
care. They are vulnerable, and they have my rošec who is an exceptional authority on ba-
special attention since they need a multidis- sic asthma principles. Our cooperation with
ciplinary approach: it means that they need him was a great privilege and the opportuni-
not only a pulmonologist, but also gastroen- ty for excellent brainstorming debates. Inter-
terologist, endocrinologist, diabetologist and national cooperation provides opportunities
https://doi.org/10.26 493/978 -961-293 -157-5.13 -14
Sabina Škrgat1,2
Asthma is an airway disease which, in its se- otorhinolaryngologist. Undoubtedly impor- 1 University Medical Centre
vere forms, represents a serious burden for pa- tant and valuable partners in the team are Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
tients – due to continuous treatment and its also an experienced severe asthma nurse, psy-
side effects, comorbidities and asthma exacer- chologist, nutritionist, good respiratory phys- 2 Faculty of Medicine,
bations. Many of them have a continuous fear iotherapist and clinical pharmacist to provide University of Ljubljana,
of new exacerbations that might happen in fu- support. When patients experience this ap- Ljubljana, Slovenia
ture and a lower quality of life as they are de- proach which enables them to control their
prived of many a fine experience. asthma, they often say that they are not of-
ten treated so comprehensively. My answer to
It is still possible to die because of asth- them is simple and clear: “You are not mere-
ma. My teachers still saw young people die in ly the lungs that come through the door of our
intensive care units due to severe asthma ex- outpatient clinic, but you are a whole person.”
acerbations. I was exceptionally fortunate to Many times this is followed by silence, a tim-
become a medical doctor at a time when the id smile and a moment of happiness – both
basic therapy with inhaled glucocorticoids the patient’s and mine in my role of a thera-
had already been introduced, although the pist. Because we have succeeded, both the pa-
knowledge about the mysteries of inhalers and tient and my team.
inhalation techniques was far from being as
clear as it is today. This was a proper revolu- My belief is that in addition to a perfect-
tion in asthma treatment. Now, in the area of ly organized “micro-environment” in which
biologics, we – the therapists – are probably in the patients are treated, a good professional
the middle of the second revolution in asthma outcome also requires professional consensus
treatment. But despite all these steps forward, at a national level, which has actually been
we can see that it is still not possible to pre- achieved in numerous fields. The cherry on
vent, at least in some patients, a need for sys- the cake is surely our participation at the in-
temic glucocorticoids in maintenance or spo- ternational level, both regionally and at the
radic treatment. These patients might have level of the European Respiratory Society.
a huge systemic glucocorticoid burden, they The idea to launch the Severe asthma forum
have greater mortality and they need a special was born in cooperation with prof. Peter Ko-
care. They are vulnerable, and they have my rošec who is an exceptional authority on ba-
special attention since they need a multidis- sic asthma principles. Our cooperation with
ciplinary approach: it means that they need him was a great privilege and the opportuni-
not only a pulmonologist, but also gastroen- ty for excellent brainstorming debates. Inter-
terologist, endocrinologist, diabetologist and national cooperation provides opportunities
https://doi.org/10.26 493/978 -961-293 -157-5.13 -14
