Asthma Treatment Guidelines
A person having asthma, experiences some common symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing, tightness in the chest or a persistent cough especially late at night or early in the morning. Though there are other medical conditions with similar symptoms. In asthma, these breathing problems are the result of an inflamed and swollen airway lining, producing thick mucus that clog the airways. The airway muscles go into spasm, narrowing the airways, when irritated by triggers such as cold air, smoke, air pollution, animal dander, pollen etc. When asthma gets worse, inflamed airways become increasingly constricted, making it difficult to breathe. While there is yet no cure for asthma, it can be controlled with an accurate diagnosis, the right treatment and ongoing monitoring by the patient and the physician.
Asthma may be diagnosed by the family physician, or by an asthma specialist such as an allergist. The important thing is that the symptoms of asthma be recognized early and dealt with effectively. The longer one waits, the more permanent may be the damage to the lungs. As the symptoms differ widely from patient to patient, it is essential that the doctor determines the severity of asthma to develop the best plan to treat it. The new guidelines classify asthma into four categories: mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent and severe persistent.
Once asthma is diagnosed, an aggressive treatment must be taken to gain quick control of asthma. Depending on the severity of the condition, the doctor would develop a treatment plan to end the symptoms and enable the patient to lead a normal lifestyle. Avoidance and environmental control should be the first consideration in an overall treatment plan.
Immunotherapy can be helpful when symptoms occur year-round or during a majority of the year, or when it is difficult to control symptoms with medication. Asthma medications also play an important role in asthma therapy. Irrespective of the severity, a quick-relief medication such as short-acting beta2-agonists and anticholinergics must be readily available for treatment of acute symptoms. If the asthma is more than mild and intermittent, a preventive controller anti-inflammatory medication such as methylxanthines, antileukotrienes, cromolyn sodium and beta2-agonists should be used on a regular basis. Regular visits to the doctor to monitor the condition will help meet the treatment goals as the doctor will review the asthma symptoms, activities, peak flow records and medications. Close monitoring of ones condition will help the doctor determine if any changes in the treatment are necessary.
The new asthma treatment guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to using the medications with the type and amount determined by the initial assessment of the severity of the condition. An increase or step up of the medication, when the condition is worse and when the asthma is under control, a step down or decrease of medication must be adopted after consulting the doctor. The new asthma guidelines recommend that the patient see an asthma specialist when there is difficulty in achieving or maintaining control of the asthma. The physician and the patient must work in partnership to meet the goals of asthma.
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