New online test aims to cut deaths from asthma attacks

London -  A UK charity has launched a new online test that will help people with asthma gauge to what extent they are at risk from a serious attack.

The website will also advise people what they can do to minimise that risk and how to stay well.

It aims to reduce the number of deaths through asthma attacks, which claim the lives of three people in the UK a day.

The online test, called Triple A: Avoid Asthma Attacks, asks simple questions about factors which have been linked to increasing the risk of an asthma attack that could lead to a hospital admission.

According to the charity Asthma UK, which is behind the new website, about 75 percent of asthma-related emergency hospital admissions could be prevented.

Those taking the test will fall into one of three categories, colour-coded like traffic lights.

The red category means the person runs a highly increased risk of a serious attack, while green would mean no increased risk.

Each category is linked to advice on how to control the symptoms and what to do if someone does have an attack.

Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and policy at Asthma UK, said asthma attacks put someone in hospital every seven minutes and kill over 1,100 people every year.

“The test is designed to make people sit up, take notice and make changes to the way they manage their asthma if they are shown to be at an increased risk of an asthma attack,” the BBC quoted Dr Walker as saying.

“This kind of test for asthma has never been done before but we’re confident it will prove an effective motivator to help reduce frightening and often unnecessary hospital admissions,” she added.