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Latest numbers from the CDC find 19 million adults and 7 millionkids have the illness today. TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Asthma continues to take itstoll on Americans, with almost 19 million adults (8.2 percent)suffering from the disorder in 2010, according to a report releasedTuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC analysis also found that more than 29 million (almost 13percent) of adults have been diagnosed with the illness at somepoint in their lifetime. Children are also being hit hard by the wheezing and discomfort ofasthma. According to the report, in 2010 about 10 million childrenhad been diagnosed with asthma in their lifetime and 7 million (9.4percent) still had asthma. Rates of asthma are rising, not falling, the experts noted. From2001 to 2010, the proportion of people with asthma increased byalmost 15 percent. And by 2009, asthma accounted for nearly 3,400deaths, nearly 480,000 hospitalizations, 1.9 million emergencydepartment visits, and 8.9 million physician office visits. One expert not connected to the report was not surprised by thefindings. "This study highlights the tremendous problem asthma continues tobe in the United States," said Dr. Jonathan Ilowite, associatechief of pulmonary and critical care at Winthrop UniversityHospital in Mineola, N.Y. "It is the most common reason forchildren to miss school, and an important cause of missed work inadults. Although the mortality from the disease has beendecreasing, [asthma] still causes over 3,000 deaths in this countrya year, and the costs for medical care, lost work and school, andpremature deaths are staggering." The new statistics bear that out. In 2008, for example, adults whowere currently employed and had one or more asthma attacks duringthe previous 12 months missed 14.2 million days of work due toasthma, the CDC said. Children aged 5 to 17 who had one or moreasthma attacks in the previous 12 months missed a total of 10.5million days of school that year. The total estimated societal cost of asthma in 2007 was $56 billion(2009 dollars), including medical expenses ($50.1 billion), missedschool or work days ($3.8 billion) and premature death ($2.1billion), the report said. The findings are based on state-by-state data gathered using theAsthma Call-back Survey, which is conducted among people withasthma identified by the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor SurveillanceSystem. "The information in this release is a stark reminder that asthmacontinues to be major public health concern with a large financialimpact on families, the nation and our health care system,"Christopher Portier, director of CDC's National Center forEnvironmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances andDisease Registry, said in an agency news release. Individual patients, their families and doctors can help mitigatethe suffering, however. "A key component for adults and children is to create and follow anasthma action plan. Significantly, this analysis reveals that morethan half of all children and more than two-thirds of all adultswith asthma do not have an individualized action plan. CDCencourages those with asthma to work with their doctors to takecontrol of this disease," Portier said. May is National Asthma Awareness Month. Asthma is one of the mostcommon lifelong chronic diseases. It causes repeated episodes ofwheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. More information The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about asthma . SOURCES: Jonathan Ilowite, M.D., associate chief, pulmonary andcritical care division, department of medicine, Winthrop UniversityHospital, Mineola, N.Y.; U.S. Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, news release, May 15, 2012 Copyright © 2012 HealthDay . All rights reserved. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Pneumatic Tube Fittings Manufacturer , China Pulse Jet Valves, and more. For more , please visit Pulse Jet Valves today!
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