Don't Endure Asthma, Manage It
Following guidelines can help people live a full life with their disease
 (HealthDay News) -- Doctor-patient partnerships and ongoing monitoring are among the best ways for people with asthma to avoid serious symptoms and disability, according to experts.
"Asthma is not an event, it is a chronic disease that can be managed so that symptoms are controlled and severe attacks are prevented," Dr. Michael B. Foggs, chief of asthma, allergy and immunology at Advocate Health Care in Chicago , said in a prepared statement.
Foggs helped update asthma monitoring and management guidelines for the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Asthma Education and Prevention Program.
"The guidelines underscore the fact that people who are diagnosed with asthma do not have to suffer breathing difficulties or cut back on their activities," he said. "We want to make this a reality for all asthma patients."
About 23 million Americans -- including 6.5 million children -- have asthma.
Recommendations in the guidelines, which were updated in 2007 for the first time in a decade, include:
- Regular monitoring by a doctor. Everyone with asthma should be monitored every one to six months, regardless of how severe their disease or whether they are experiencing symptoms.
- A written action plan. Everyone should have a plan that includes instructions for daily treatment and what to do if symptoms worsen. The action plan should be developed by a doctor or a nurse, with input from the person who has asthma, and it should be shared with family members, teachers and coaches.
- Disease education. Learning about the disease is vital, and information should be appropriate for the person's cultural background and literacy level.
- Participation. People with asthma should play an active role in managing their disease.
- A step-wise approach to medication. Asthma treatment based on severity is classified by the revised guidelines in six steps, rather than the four steps previously indicated. But the fundamental idea remains: Increase medication when symptoms worsen and decrease it, if possible, when asthma is under control.
"When patients and physicians work together to follow these guidelines, asthma symptoms can be prevented, and patients can participate in all activities and not miss days of work or school because of asthma," Foggs said. "No one should expect anything less."
For most people with chronic, persistent asthma, routine use of inhaled corticosteroids is the standard of care, according to the guidelines.
"Low- to medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids are very safe and remain the first line of treatment for preventing asthma symptoms," H. William Kelly, a pediatrics professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico , said in a prepared statement. "Unfortunately, they are not prescribed as often as they should be."
Kelly noted, "Some people confuse these safe medications with the risky anabolic steroids used by some athletes to improve performance. When used appropriately, corticosteroids are safe and effective in controlling asthma."
The guidelines also emphasize that people need to take their controller medications even when they don't have asthma symptoms and they should be taught how to use inhalers properly to ensure that the medication reaches the lungs.
On the Web
To learn more about asthma, visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
SOURCES:
HealthDay News ; American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, news release, Nov. 11, 2007
Author:
Robert Preidt
Publication Date:
Nov. 30, 2008
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