HAY FEVER
Make HAY while the Sun Shines?
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SPRING IS HERE WHICH MEANS THAT PHARMACISTS CAN SOON EXPECT TO SEE THE ANNUAL INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR TREATMENT FOR HAY FEVER AND OTHER ALLERGIES WHICH ARE RELATED TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE WEATHER
D
espite the fact that these are conditions that we pharmacists will be particularly au
fait with, its worthwhile having a fuller understanding of how these conditions actually work, and also to refresh our knowledge about how these common conditions should be treated.
50 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
PART OF A BIGGER PROBLEM? As we know, hay fever falls under the broader umbrella heading of allergy, which is one of the most widespread conditions in the UK, and includes conditions such as food allergy, anaphylaxis, and eczema, amongst others. Allergy is a big problem in the UK, with approximately 21 million people across the country
being affected by at least one allergy type, with a group of around 10 million people having more than one allergy. When we delve further in the numbers and focus on hay fever, we can see that around 20% of the UK population are affected by this condition in one way or another, meaning that it’s something that will take up a lot of a healthcare professional’s time, particularly if they’re in primary care! The severity and extent of the effects of these conditions is even more apparent when we take a look at the cost of allergy, including hay fever, to the NHS, with £900 million being spent annually on the primary care side, and an additional £68 million being spent on allergy-related hospital admissions1
Its also important to remember that whilst hay fever isn’t necessarily regarded as being a “serious”
condition, it has the potential to lead to very serious outcomes in patients with particular comorbidities. For example, approximately 80% of patients who have a history of asthma also have hay fever, meaning that exposure to pollen can bring on an asthma attack2
. When this
is considered, it is clear that the management of these conditions is very important, both for the overall health of the patient, in addition to their overall quality of life.
.
Due to the nature of hay fever, its importance, and the exceedingly high likelihood that you will be dealing with droves of patients who are afflicted with this condition in the coming months, the remainder of this article will focus on hay fever, and provide some points, which will enhance your management of this condition.
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