A 2006 research by EFA (the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations) shows that at least 1.5 million Europeans with severe asthma are living in constant fear that suffocating attacks will kill them.

The first study of this kind, “Fighting for Breath”, asked people with severe asthma from across Europe what it means to live with this burden. The most common words connected with asthma were “fear” and “breathlessness”. One in five also experience speech limiting attacks at least once a week meaning they are unable to draw enough breath even to ask for help.

“We know that tragically one person in Western Europe dies every hour as a result of asthma and that 90% of these asthma deaths could be prevented through increased public awareness, better access to appropriate healthcare provision, changes in environmental and healthcare policy and improvements in research”, said EFA President, Svein-Erik Myrseth.

According to the study, most people with severe asthma in Europe are failing to receive adequate standards of care to reach recommended international GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) treatment targets and as many as 90% are missing at least one of the five recommended treatment goals. For most of the 6 million Europeans with severe asthma, these goals should be achievable, but for around 1.5 million, there are still not enough effective treatment options to adequately control their symptoms.

Asthma is a chronic condition, which affects 30 million people of all ages in Europe. Attacks can be unpredictable and are normally caused by an allergic reaction to triggers such as tobacco, smoke, pollution and animal fur. More than half the respondents say they suffer anxiety and stress, and one in four that they feel their condition is “life-threatening”.

EFA calls upon the European Community to honour its promise of a “high level of health protection” for EU citizens by issuing regulations for clean air, indoors and outdoors, including a ban on smoking in all public places, including workplaces. For more information, visit the Asthma section of the EFA website