A meet on respiratory diseases -PULMOCON 2012 - was organised here on Sunday and leading pulmonologists from various places updated the medical fraternity on recent developments in diagnosis/disease management in respiratory therapy.
The Department of Pulmonology of Apollo Speciality Hospitals had taken the lead in conducting this meet along with pharmaceutical major Cipla for the benefit of consultants, general practitioners, paediatricians and postgraduate medical students. M. Palaniappan, consultant, pulmonary and sleep medicine, said that respiratory diseases are rising day by day due to life style changes and air pollution.
Nearly 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma and its prevalence is rising globally by 50 per cent every decade. Asthma along with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have became major challenges for doctors.
While 2,55,000 people died of asthma in the year 2005 as per WHO report, COPD is becoming common among chronic smokers. Tuberculosis too is a life threatening disease.
Antibiotic selection in respiratory infections among children and adults, pulmonary interventions, asthma and COPD, obstructive sleep apnoea and tuberculosis investigations were among the topics covered in the sixth edition of PULMOCON and leading consultants spoke on both acute critical care/chronic management.