Asthma sufferers die 'unnecessarily,' UK asthma study reveals

People suffering from asthma are dying unnecessarily because of complacency among both medical staff and patients, according to the first national study of asthma deaths in the UK.

Researchers found that in nearly half of the cases they looked at, asthma sufferers did not receive any medical help during their final asthma attack.

They say patients and healthcare professionals need to be better at recognising the danger signs.

The review, released on World Asthma Day, found there were 67 deaths relating to asthma in Wales in 2012.

Dr Sadiyah Hand, a consultant chest physician at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, is part of the advisory panel for Asthma Cymru and contributed to the report. She spoke to Radio Wales presenter Oliver Hides on the Good Morning Wales programme.