On the occasion of World Asthma Day, the News crew from the Public TV Company visited the “Arabkir” Medical Center to highlight the importance of asthma awareness and management. Dr. Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service, provided expert insights in response to the journalist’s questions.   The “Arabkir” Medical Center remains committed to supporting children living with asthma through a comprehensive approach that includes accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and consistent outpatient follow-up care. Timely medical consultation is essential, and we urge parents to remain vigilant for early symptoms.   We express our sincere gratitude to the Health Fund for Children of Armenia (HFC Armenia) for their continued support in the provision of necessary medications. Deep breaths, long exhalations, exercising on a treadmill. These are part of the diagnostic process for bronchial asthma, a chronic condition often influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Dr. Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service at the Arabkir Medical Center, explains: “The problem is related to the bronchial tree. If we imagine it as a network of tubes resembling a tree, during asthma episodes, these airways narrow, making it difficult for the child to breathe — particularly to exhale. It takes longer for the air to leave the lungs.”    Asthma typically presents with symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and crackling sounds in the lungs. Since these symptoms can also be found in other conditions, timely medical evaluation is crucial for an accurate diagnosis. Dr. Baghdasaryan continues: “In preschool-aged children, about one in three may show asthma-like symptoms — wheezing during and outside of viral infections. Many of these children outgrow the condition, but for some, it persists beyond the age of 4 or 5, when we begin to classify it as asthma.”    Various risk factors can contribute to the development of asthma, and exposure to allergens often triggers flare-ups. To identify such allergens, a skin prick test may be recommended. “We perform respiratory allergen tests on the skin to determine whether there is an allergic component involved,” says Dr. Baghdasaryan.   Like other chronic conditions, asthma requires long-term monitoring and management. Early diagnosis and intervention can greatly improve outcomes, and in many cases, children may eventually outgrow the condition. “The main medications used to treat asthma are inhaled therapies,” notes Dr. Baghdasaryan. “Unfortunately, many of these are not registered or available in our country. However, with support from the Health Fund for Children of Armenia and approval from the Ministry of Health, we are able to import and provide these essential medications to children under dispensary supervision.”   To improve asthma care across the country, specialists from Arabkir Medical Center — which holds an international certificate from the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology — are also training regional healthcare providers. This decentralized approach aims to make asthma diagnosis and treatment more accessible within local communities.

The first Tuesday of May marks World Asthma Day. This year’s theme is “Make inhaled treatment accessible to all.” The “Arabkir” Medical Center, together with the Health Fund for Children of Armenia, supports this initiative by showcasing the program implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The goal remains the same: to map asthma across Armenia and decentralize its management, bringing services closer to patients and ensuring that necessary asthma medications are accessible to all children in need. Watch this video featuring Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service at “Arabkir” Medical Center, for more details.

  At the “Aravot Luso” program booth of the Public TV Company, Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service at the “Arabkir” Medical Center, discussed the “Allergology, Immunology” symposium and the modern achievements of allergology, including their availability in Armenia.   https://www.facebook.com/ArabkirJMC/videos/446841641617888

  The Allergology/Immunology International Hybrid Symposium of Armenia was conducted through the collaborative efforts of the “Arabkir” Medical Center, International Center for Professional Development (ICPD) and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and professional associations within Armenia’s healthcare sector.  The conference was held in a hybrid format, bringing together a diverse audience, including family physicians, pediatricians, allergists, infectious disease specialists, dermatologists, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, intensive care specialists and emergency medicine specialists, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of this field.   Presentations were delivered by experts from Armenia, as well as renowned hospitals and universities in the USA and Europe. The distinguished guests of the conference included Susanne Halken, Clinical Professor of Pediatric Allergology at the Research Unit of Pediatrics at the University of Southern Denmark; Philippe Eigenmann, Professor of Pediatric Allergology at the Geneva University Hospital; and Ana Margarida Neves, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon and Coordinator of the Department of Pediatric Allergology at the Department of Pediatrics. The symposium was chaired by Raffi Tachdjian, MD, Master of Public Health, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Philippe Eigenmann from the Geneva University Hospital and Astghik Baghdasaryan from “Arabkir” MC-ICAH served as co-chairs.

  Dear doctors, Registration is still open for the Allergy/Immunology International Hybrid Symposium of Armenia. For further details, please follow the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=937272848184012&set=a.575939314317369

  The Reception departments of pediatric hospitals experience a surge in activity during this time of the year, primarily due to the prevalence of acute respiratory infections. The most common one during this season is the respiratory syncytial virus. Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory medicine and Allergology Department at the “Arabkir” medical center, has provided comprehensive insights into acute respiratory infections and their prevention.    If your child has an infection, please contact a pediatrician and adhere to the guidelines for reducing fever:  Lower the temperature if it reaches 38.60C and above, causing discomfort for the child.  If the child has fever but remains active, consider dressing them in light clothing, providing extra fluids, and placing a lukewarm compress on their forehead. When using antipyretic drugs, syrups and suppositories are preferable. For older children, tablets can also be used. Viral infections should not be treated with antibiotics as they have no effect on the virus. Avoid rubbing your child's skin with alcohol, as children’s skin has a well-developed absorbing ability, which can lead to toxic effects.  Remember, that your primary care pediatrician is your first point of contact. Reach out to them, and if inpatient care is considered necessary, they will refer you to the appropriate medical facilities.  

Asthma is a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. It is the most common chronic disease in children and adolescents worldwide and one of the most common in adults.   The World Health Organization has highlighted asthma as both a cause and consequence of poverty in low- and middle-income countries. WHO estimates that asthma affects 339 million people worldwide.   On the occasion of World Asthma Day, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) have joined forces to discuss key updates to the GINA 2023 strategy report on asthma management recommendations for adults, adolescents and  children, highlighting the key questions on the topic:  how climate change and air pollution can affect people with asthma,  what specialists can do to choose the most suitable inhaler for their patients,  what needs to be done to guarantee a healthier future for patients at national, European and global levels.   In Armenia, children and adolescents with asthma are served in “Arabkir” Medical Center. In our Respiratory Medicine and Allergology service, all modern methods for diagnosis, treatment and management of asthma are possible now, thanks to the close cooperation of our doctors with foreign clinics and professional associations, continuing professional development and great technical equipment.    Asthma is not a sentence. Early diagnosis and proper medical approach make it manageable.

The visit of Professor Alexander Moeller, the head of the Respiratory Diseases Department at the University Children's Hospital of Zurich, to the “Arabkir” Medical Center has concluded.    Almost 100 doctors from “Arabkir” and other medical institutions have participated in the two-day course.   The main topics of the course were related to pediatric respiratory medicine, covering details of diagnosis and treatment. Professor presented the latest updates of the guidelines, which are widely discussed not only in Armenia, but all over the world. Participants had the opportunity to receive updates directly from the head of the guideline's author group, and obtain comprehensive answers to many professional questions.    The cherished aspect of Professor Moeller’s traditional visits is the bedside teaching, where discussions take place directly next to the patient and with them. This format provides a unique opportunity, especially for clinical residents at “Arabkir” MC, to participate in the process of examining and analyzing the problem with a world-renowned Professor.  

Dear colleagues,    We invite the attention of pulmonologists, allergists, pediatricians and cardiologists to the Children's Respiratory Medicine training course which will take place at "Arabkir" Medical Center. The honored guest speaker of the course is Professor Alexander Moeller, the head of the Respiratory Diseases and Sleep Disorders Department at the University Children's Hospital of Zurich. Following topics will be covered during the lectures:  wheezing in preschoolers, bronchial asthma and its diagnosis, treatment of bronchiolitis/bronchitis, acute and chronic cough.   The lectures will be held on March 29 and 30 at 15:00-17:00, in the Green Hall of "Arabkir" MC. The course is organized in cooperation with "Arabkir" MC and the University Children's Hospital of Zurich. Please note that CPD credits will not be provided.  To register, please follow the link: https://forms.gle/yHFnDUtcMZWjkX2q6