More than a third of people with asthma are at risk of having a potentially fatal asthma attack, new research suggests.

 

Over 30,000 people completed Asthma UK's online test, the Triple A: Avoid Asthma Attacks test, which helps people determine their likelihood of having an asthma attack and tells them how to reduce this risk.

 

The charity found that 55 per cent of respondents did not think they were at increased risk; however, 93 per cent were actually found to be at increased or highly increased risk of having an attack.

 

When they were contacted six weeks after completing the test, 36 per cent said they had taken steps to avoid their asthma triggers and 85 per cent claimed they would recommend the test to others.

 

Neil Churchill, Asthma UK's chief executive, said: 'It's extremely worrying that many people with asthma do not realise their own risk of ending up in hospital.

 

'As up to 75 per cent of emergency hospital admissions are preventable with better management and support, it's vitally important people understand their asthma and crucial that they are supported by healthcare professionals who can help them to reduce their risk.'

 

The findings were published on World Asthma Day (May 1st), which aims to improve asthma awareness and care around the world.