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Asthma misdiagnosis rates may mean NHS patients are taking powerful drugs unnecessarily (28 January 2015)

Date: 28/01/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Asthma misdiagnosis rates may mean NHS patients are taking powerful drugs unnecessarily

NHS watchdog NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has revealed that more than one million NHS patients may have been wrongly diagnosed and treated for asthma.

BBC News reports that one-third of those diagnosed with asthma were found to have no symptoms of the lung condition – although some may have had asthma in the past, others have been given a wrong diagnosis, the watchdog says.

NICE is advising NHS patients who are concerned about an asthma diagnosis to see their GP – and not to stop taking their medication beforehand.

Asthma charities say asthma is a condition which is still being under-diagnosed and under-treated – with three people dying from asthma every day.

In the UK, around 5.4 million people have been diagnosed with asthma, including 1.1m children (one in 11) and 4.3m adults (one in 12), according to figures from Asthma UK.

Because asthma can be difficult to diagnose, doctors tend to rely on their own experience of treating the condition, which may be caused by allergens. Children can also be born with asthma or a predisposition to the condition.

Being exposed to chemicals, fumes, vapours and hazardous dust at work may result in asthma in some workers – as well as other lung conditions, the symptoms of which may be confused with asthma symptoms.

NICE is calling for GPs to use more clinical diagnosis in determining whether or not a patient has asthma.

Doctors can use spirometry tests to measure the volume and rate of air a patient can expel – asthma reduces lung capacity and function.

Director of clinical practice at NICE, Professor Mark Baker, said:

“Accurate diagnosis of asthma has been a significant problem – which means that people may be wrongly diagnosed, or cases might be missed in others.

“Our aim with this guideline is to give clarity – and set out the most clinical and cost effective ways to diagnose and monitor asthma, based on the best available evidence.”
Drugs which treat asthma may have serious side effects in some patients – and therefore an asthma misdiagnosis may mean a patient enduring years of side effects from unnecessary medication.

Chief Executive at Asthma UK, Kay Boycott, told BBC News:

“Asthma has many complex causes, which is one of the reasons why it is sometimes difficult to get a definitive diagnosis.
“It is also a highly variable condition that can change throughout someone's life – or even week by week – meaning treatment can change over time.

“For anyone with an asthma diagnosis, it is vital they have the right medication and a plan to better manage their condition and any asthma attacks.”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – No win no fee GP Negligence Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury lawyers can advise on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation in cases where asthma was misdiagnosed – or there were failures in diagnosis, such as a delay leading to further injury.

Personal injury claimants have three years from the date of misdiagnosis in which to claim – and Duncan Lewis can also advise victims of occupational asthma on how to make a no win no fee claim if occupational asthma occurred as a result of failings in health and safety at work.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Occupational Asthma Claims, call Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

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