PHA-UK LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO AID PATIENT UNDERSTANDING OF OXYGEN THERAPY

28/09/2009

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA-UK) has launched another ground breaking initiative for people with pulmonary hypertension. A special section of its' website has been allocated to give specific information on the use of Oxygen Therapy. The site includes a series of videos aimed to assist people living with the incurable lung condition to understand how to use Oxygen Therapy and how to incorporate its' use into their everyday lives.

"For some people with Pulmonary Hypertension, breathing air with a higher concentration of oxygen can reduce the symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue" says Dr Chris Steele, PHA-UK Patron and This Morning's trusted and respected GP. "This special section of the PHA-UK website looks at Oxygen Therapy in greater detail. As Oxygen Therapy involves medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, cylinders, tubes and nasal cannulae we thought it would be easier for people with PH to understand their usage via video rather than just reading about them."

The videos consist of over 30 minutes of information separated into bite size snippets for ease of viewing and feature:

Dr Sean Gaine, Consultant Respiratory Physician from the Pulmonary Hypertension Unit, Mater Miseriocordiae Hospital Dublin, who answers a number of frequently asked questions such as ‘Who needs Oxygen Therapy? How is oxygen delivered? If I need oxygen at night how will I sleep? What are the side effects?'

Jill Smith, Patient Services Manager for Air Products, who answers questions about oxygen concentrators and cylinders and liquid oxygen systems

Anne Emblen and Jacqui Boldy who live with PH, highlight their experiences of Oxygen Therapy

Iain Armstrong, Nurse Consultant at the Royal Hallamshire's Pulmonary Vascular Unit in Sheffield and PHA-UK Chairman said, "Oxygen Therapy can initially be quite daunting for people living with PH , our aim in commissioning this series of videos for the PHA-UK website was to help familiarise patients and their families with the role Oxygen Therapy plays in PH and to share the experiences of people with the condition who benefit from it ."

"When I started out on Oxygen Therapy I was quite worried" says Anne Emblen, who lives with PH, "I hadn't heard of Oxygen Therapy or seen anybody on it. It was quite nerve racking initially so I was delighted to be involved in these videos as I wanted to help allay other people's fears"

"Without Oxygen Therapy I couldn't walk fifty metres without getting out of breath" says Jacqui Boldy, the other person with PH who features in the new section of the PHA-UK website. "I can now get out and about because of my portable oxygen concentrator. I hope these videos will help to give others the confidence I now have."

People living with PH and healthcare professionals can view the videos via the PHA (UK) website www.phassociation.uk.com/oxygen.

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Note to Editors

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (UK) (PHA-UK) (charity number 1082613) provides support, understanding, and information for everyone whose life is touched by Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). To find out more about PH visit the PHA-UK website www.phassociation.uk.com or contact our Helpline 0800 3898 156

ABOUT PH

Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a disease where the blood pressure in the arteries in the lungs elevates putting pressure on the heart and reducing the amount of oxygen that is able to reach the tissues of the body causing breathlessness and exhaustion. This can significantly impact the person with PH's ability to lead a normal life. PH can often lead to heart failure and can be a standalone condition or associated with other diseases.

PH is often mistakenly diagnosed due to its similarities to asthma. PHA-UK research shows the average time for PH to be correctly diagnosed across the UK is two years with 1 in 5 having to wait significantly longer.

With correct treatment and a faster diagnosis almost two thirds of people living with PH will survive longer than 5 years, however if not treated, approximately half of people with PH die within two years.

PH affects people of all ages including young children. It is twice as common in women as men and the commonest age at presentation is 40 - 50 years old.

People with PH experience a range of symptoms, the most common of which are breathlessness, dizziness, fainting, chest pain, palpitations and increased lethargy. These symptoms are described as "non-specific" which means it is quite difficult to diagnose.

There are currently approximately 4,000 people diagnosed with PH across the UK and it's estimated that there are a further 4,000 who are undiagnosed.

There are 8 PH specialist centres in the UK, (4 in London, Great Ormond Street, Hammersmith, Royal Brompton, Royal Free with the remainder situated in Glasgow, Sheffield, Newcastle and Cambridgeshire) which provide expert diagnosis, treatment and management for people with PH.


For further information please contact:
Hilary Franklin
T: 020 7272 3915/07711 181 374
Email: hilary@ukhealthmatters.com