Ireland launches new clinical guidelines on asthma

Ireland on Wednesday formally launched four new national clinical guidelines for clinicians and healthcare managers.

The new guidelines covered patient safety and hospital standards, dealing with an asthma attack and the treatment of a type of cancer, according to Irish Health Minister Leo Varadkar.

One of the guidelines gives advice to healthcare professionals on management of an acute asthma attack in adults.

The aim is to reduce mortality in this potentially fatal but treatable condition, as 37 people died following an asthma attack last year, Varadkar said.

In 2011, the figure was 53.

Two of the guidelines promote patient safety and higher standards in hospitals by setting national standards for an early warning system for children, and guidelines on how patient information is shared between clinicians when the patient is handed over in adult and children's hospitals, he said.

The other guideline for diagnosis, staging and treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease also aims to reduce mortality, he added. Endit