Respiratory therapy in India is a medical specialty focused on the treatment, management, control, diagnostic evaluation and care of patients with deficiencies of the cardiopulmonary system. Because of the country’s high propensity for respiratory diseases, India should be viewed as potential target for global medical device makers
Major respiratory care device subcategories include:
- Respiratory care diagnostic devices such as spirometers, peak flow meters, and polysomnography devices for sleep studies
- Respiratory care monitoring devices such as pulse oximeter, capnographs and gas analyzers
- Respiratory care therapeutic devices such as humidifiers, nebulizers, oxygen concentrators, positive airway pressure devices, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation devices, nitric oxide delivery units, reusable resuscitators, ventilators and respiratory inhalers
The global respiratory therapeutics market is about $24.5 billion in 2014. Respiratory diseases cause one in every five deaths in India. India has the highest number of TB patients in the world. About three million people in the county are infected. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is also on the rise in India, accounting for nearly 1 in 10 deaths. 25 percent of all child mortality cases in India are attributed to pneumonia. About 4-8% of school going children in the country suffer from asthma.
In the past respiratory physicians in India were focused on managing tuberculosis and non-tubercular lung diseases remained largely in the domain of internists. Modern day chest specialists like to be called a “pulmonologists” or “respiratory physicians.” Many chest physicians, particularly in cities are also practicing sleep medicine and critical care.
