translated from Spanish: Call for chronic lung disease patients not to stop their treatments

Medical specialists called for preventing asmatic and chronically ill patients from suspending their treatment, in the face of the progression of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), because in that group the level of adherence to the administration of medicines reach only 40%. It is estimated that about 4 out of 10 asthma patients follow the complete treatment regimen prescribed by their doctor, a rate that varies in developed countries, where adherence increases to 50 percent. While much is still unknown about the virus, it is known to have a big impact on older adults and people with chronic diseases such as asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, among others. It is important that people with chronic diseases take all possible protective and preventive measures. This includes taking government-established precautions based on social estrangement, frequent handwashing hygiene, and social restrictions. “Another essential aspect in prevention is adherence to treatments, not skipping doses or altering schemes,” said Dr. Gustavo Zabert, president of ALAT, Latin American Thorax Association.” Adherence to the treatment of patients with asthma and COPD reduces the risk of asthma exacerbations or seizures, forcing a patient to seek medical attention and go to care facilities, where they would be exposed to contagion. Today we know that Covid-19 disease has the greatest impact on older adults and people with chronic diseases,” Dr. Zabert concluded. It is also important to keep up with vaccines, mainly against influenza, and pneumococcal pneumonia, as this, on the one hand, protects children and adults and, on the other hand, avoids having to seek health care in case of these diseases. In addition, it avoids the confusing effect of coronavirus infection,” said Dr. Roberto Debbag, Vice President of the Latin American Society of Pediatric Infectology and Managing Member of the World Society of Pediatric Infectology, ruling that “risk mitigation measures must begin with each other.”

Original source in Spanish