Breathing issues cause more emergency NHS admissions than any other condition

Serious breathing problems lead to more emergency admissions to hospital in England than any other medical condition, NHS data reveals.

More people with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema have to go into hospital for treatment because they are struggling to breathe than those with heart disease, joint problems or cancer.

During 2023-24 hospitals in England recorded 868,212 emergency admissions for diseases of the respiratory system, NHS figures obtained by Asthma + Lung UK show. That represented one in eight of all the 5.2m unplanned admissions during the year.

Such admissions are contributing significantly to hospitals being overwhelmed so often, and especially during winter, when cold weather breeds infections, the charity said.

Asthma + Lung UK claims the number of unplanned stays in hospital for breathing problems is so high because of a “collapse in care for people with lung conditions” in recent years.

“Lung conditions are silently suffocating the NHS, pushing it to breaking point and causing 66,524 deaths every year,” said Sarah Sleet, its chief executive. “Every day, people with respiratory conditions are needlessly suffering, hospitals are overwhelmed by emergency admissions for breathing issues, particularly during the winter.”

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Source: The Guardian, 11 November 2024