More than half the partients who participated in a recent global survey were unaware that people with mild cases of asthma can have fatal attacks.

The Global Asthma Physician and Patient (GAPP) survey of more than 6,000 doctors, adult asthma patients, and parents of child asthma patients in 16 countries found that 90 percent of doctors treating adult patients said they're responsible for patient education in their office, but 85 percent said they devote half or less of their time to patient education.

Proper Inhaler Use

For example, "although 95 percent of physicians said they regularly discussed proper inhaler use with their patients, only 61 percent of the patients said they received regular instruction," lead investigator Dr. Michael S. Blaiss of the University of Tennessee in Memphis, said in a prepared statement. "Patients reported that many aspects of asthma treatment are not discussed with their physicians, including an asthma treatment plan and proper maintenance of symptom diaries."

There was also a big gap in doctors' and patients' perceptions of how well asthmatics adhered to treatments as instructed by their physician. While 66 percent of patients said they complied with their doctor's instructions at least three-quarters of the time or more, doctors estimated that just 30 percent of their patients did so.

Asthma Attacks Can Be Fatal

"Of great concern is that more than half of the patients surveyed (54 percent) were unaware that asthma attacks can be fatal in patients with mild asthma. The GAPP survey results demonstrate the need for improved physician and patient communication, and patient's understanding about asthma," Blaiss said.

The findings were presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Anaheim, Calif.

More information: The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about asthma.