Breathlessness and flare ups could be fatal or require hospital treatment
Anyone in the UK with asthma has been issued a warning thanks to the war in the Middle East. Wet weather in the UK, teamed with the “spectre” of higher energy bills sparked by the conflict in the Middle East, could place millions of people with lung conditions at risk of health problems, a charity has warned. Exposure to damp and mould can trigger fatal asthma attacks, increase the likelihood of chest infections and lead to hospital admission, according to Asthma + Lung UK.
It comes after a survey by the charity conducted before the rise in oil prices found almost a fifth of people with lung conditions cannot afford to keep their home adequately warm. The Met Office said this winter is among the wettest on record, with England experiencing its eighth wettest winter.
These conditions create a perfect breeding ground for indoor mould in homes, according to Asthma + Lung UK. The charity’s most recent annual survey of 9,387 people with lung conditions found that mould and fungi are a trigger for a third of patients.
This can make symptoms of conditions such as asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) worse, causing breathlessness and flare ups that could be fatal or require hospital treatment. Some 17% of people also told the charity they struggle to keep their home adequately warm.
Dr Andy Whittamore, a GP and clinical lead at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Even before events in the Middle East raised the spectre of higher energy bills, we were already concerned about the wet weather increasing damp and mould and affecting people’s health.
“For the seven million people in the UK living with asthma and the three million people living with COPD being exposed to a trigger like mould can bring on a potentially fatal asthma attack, or cause a COPD flare-up requiring hospitalisation.”
To help combat damp and mould in the home, Asthma + Lung UK recommends opening windows and doors so air can move around, avoid drying clothes indoors and keeping the home temperature at least 18C. It is also calling for the Government to swiftly implement its £15 billion Warm Homes plan.
Published in January, the blueprint sets out plans to cut energy bills and upgrade homes. Dr Whittamore said: “Studies have also shown that long term exposure to mould can bring on the development of asthma in previously healthy people, particularly children, as well as other lung conditions such as aspergillosis, a condition caused by breathing in aspergillus mould.
“A damp and mouldy environment can also put people at greater risk of chest infections, colds, flu and rhinitis.”
