News release: Colorado - Denver/Boulder

October 29, 2003

For more information, call:
Jacque Murphy Montgomery
Kaiser Permanente, Media Relations Coordinator
Phone: (303) 344-7410
E-mail: Jacque.Montgomery@kp.org

Kaiser Permanente offers tips to cope with smoke from Boulder County and Douglas County fires

Denver, CO – It's estimated more than 400,000 Coloradans suffer from asthma. Smoke from the fires may cause increased trouble with breathing. Kaiser Permanente asthma care managers offer the following tips to help patients with asthma who may have concerns because of the fires.

Use albuterol inhaler every 3-4 hours. Sometimes patients refer to this as their rescue inhaler.
If on an inhaled steroid, double the dose, especially if peak flow levels drop.
Avoid exposure to the smoke. Stay indoors.
Check peak flow rates and follow your home care plan. Call for advice if peak flow levels drop.
Most of all, don't be caught off-guard without your medicine.

"If you have stopped taking your medications, restart them," says allergist John Williams, MD. It's believed more than half of all asthma patients don't follow their home treatment plans day in and day out.

People who have never had trouble breathing may find the smoke is causing their chest to tighten or may feel like they are "tasting" smoke. The best advice is stay indoors, with windows shut. Others may experience an "itchiness" in their eyes. Eye drops may provide some relief. If symptoms persist, make an appointment to see your primary care doctor.

Kaiser Permanente is a non-profit health plan and the largest private health care provider in Colorado. It is rated among the top ten accredited health care organizations in the country for clinical quality by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Kaiser Permanente cares for more than 407,000 members in the Denver/Boulder and Colorado Springs areas. In the Denver/Boulder area, care is provided by a coordinated team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, mental health counselors and physical therapists. In Colorado Springs, Kaiser Permanente cares for its members through an affiliated network of community-based physicians and other health care providers. For more information, visit us at www.kaiserpermanente.org.