One-third of adult Asthma diagnoses are wrong

pulse

January 20, 2017 10:34 AM

After performing a series of detailed breathing tests on the participants the researchers were able to rule out asthma in 1 out of 3 of them.

One-third of adult Asthma diagnoses are wrong

Breathe easy—it’s possible your lungs are just fine

Your doctor told you that you have asthma. But here’s a new question to consider: Are you sure it’s really asthma?

There may be good reason for you to doubt your asthma diagnosis: A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 33 percent of adults diagnosed with asthma didn’t actually have active asthma.

Researchers looked at 613 participants who had been diagnosed with asthma within the last five years. After performing a series of detailed breathing tests on the participants—and having them consult with lung specialists—the researchers were able to rule out asthma in 1 out of 3 of them.

Some were found to have minor conditions like allergies or heartburn, which can both cause breathing issues that mimic asthma, and 2 percent had serious conditions like pulmonary hypertension or heart disease. And nearly 30 percent had nothing wrong with them at all, the researchers noted.

When reviewing the original asthma diagnosis in those who didn’t actually have the condition, the researchers found that their doctors didn’t order an airflow test called the spirometry—which assess how much you inhale and exhale—in 49 percent of the cases. That’s a problem, since these tests are required by medical guidelines for making an asthma diagnosis.

As a result of the study, 90 percent of those who had an incorrect diagnosis were able to stop their asthma medications and remain safely off those drugs for a year.

Like any drug, you don’t want to take asthma meds if you don’t have to. Not only is there a cost involved, but they can cause side effects, lead author Shawn Arron, M.D., of the Ottawa Hospital notes in a press release. (Here are some of the craziest side effects of popular drugs.)

The researchers didn’t look at why physicians skipped using the spirometry, but if you’ve been diagnosed with asthma without the test, ask your doctor to perform it to make sure.

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