Finnish authorities report no surge in use of asthma medicines following Russian forest fires last summer

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According to the statistics collected by the Social Insurance Institute of Finland (KELA), Russian forest fires - which were hanging over parts of Finland for weeks in the summer of 2006 - did not cause any significant surge in the use of asthma medicines.
      The fine particle content for example in the air in the city of Helsinki rose occasionally to up to 20 times as high as the annual average. Experts say that these small particles weaken the function of the lungs and heart. Symptoms typically suffered by asthmatics, such as constricted breathing and coughing, can be exacerbated by smoke inhalation.
     
"Our figures do not indicate that the Russian forest fires would have had any significant effect on the demand for asthma medicines", reports Professor Timo Klaukka from KELA.
      The statement is based on the sales of Salbutamol, which is a medicine used for the relief of bronchospasm in conditions such as asthma. Salbutamol usage is a good parameter when assessing the occurrence of asthma symptoms, says Klaukka.
      On the basis of KELA’s reimbursements of medical expenses last year, from July onwards the use of Salbutamol appeared to reach the same level as in the previous years.
     
On the other hand, last spring with large amounts of pollen, was an exceptional one. The number of persons who received reimbursements relating to the expenses of Salbutamol was 90,000 from April through June of 2006, while the corresponding figure normally reaches a maximum of 70,000 in those three months.
      Around a hundred people die of asthma annually in Finland. However, those cases might involve also elderly people with multiple diseases, Professor Klaukka concludes.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Halonen and Putin discuss forest fires (25.8.2006)
  Disputes among Russian officials hinder efforts to fight forest fire (24.8.2006)
  Smoke from Russian fires covers Helsinki on Monday afternoon (22.8.2006)
  Smoke from Russian forest fires reaches west of Finland (14.8.2006)

Links:
  The Social Insurance Institute of Finland (KELA)

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