Cieza Hospital launches a unit to treat severe asthma

More than 230 patients in the health area will be able to benefit from this new consultation.

The Vega Lorenzo Guirao Hospital in Cieza has launched a specialized unit to improve care for patients suffering from severe asthma, nasal polyposis, and other related conditions, in order to enhance their quality of life.

This will allow for more accurate diagnosis and better control of other aggravating diseases, which will contribute to reducing the number of admissions and emergency room visits and will facilitate access to the latest technologies and innovative treatments from a multidisciplinary perspective.

According to the most recent studies, it is estimated that 5.5 percent of the population in Spain suffers from asthma, and of this percentage, 7.7 percent have severe asthma, which can lead to a mortality rate of up to 5 percent if not well controlled.

In Health Area IX, which covers the municipalities of Cieza, Abarán, and Blanca, it is estimated that there may be around 3,000 symptomatic asthmatics, of whom more than 230 suffer from severe asthma.

More thorough monitoring of these patients is essential, and to this end, the Allergy, Pulmonology, Otorhinolaryngology, Immunology, and Hospital Pharmacy units have agreed to diagnose and treat these cases in a comprehensive and multidisciplinary manner, as 15 percent of these patients suffer from nasal polyposis and other complications.

Furthermore, this multidisciplinary approach will allow access to innovative, cutting-edge treatments, such as biological therapies. It will also include a nurse expert in these pathologies.

This unit will serve as a teaching resource for future physicians already in training as resident physicians in the healthcare field. It will also facilitate the research of its members, who are currently part of national and regional research groups and a group for the study of severe asthma in the region, which has yielded its first results in international publications in prestigious journals in collaboration with the Severe Asthma Association of Murcia (Asgramur).

Likewise, the goal is to promote coordination between Primary and Specialized Care through the development of protocols, accessibility to diagnostic techniques, and the updating of training for the professionals involved.