Is A Specific Corticosteroid Better for Treatment of Asthma Than Another?
Discussion
Asthma is a chronic obstructive lung disease that affects many children and adults. There is a wide range of symptoms that people experience from occurring relatively rarely (ie intermittent asthma) to patients having daily symptoms of such intensity that they are life-threatening (ie chronic severe asthma). The goals of asthma management include patient education and medication management so patients have no or minimal symptoms, prevent exacerbations, have no activity restrictions, have normal pulmonary function tests, have no or minimal medication side effects and meet patient and family expectations. Well controlled asthma should have:
Asthma symptoms twice a week or less
Rescue bronchodilator use twice a week or less
No nighttime or early morning awakening
Daily, school and work activities should not be limited
Patient, family and physician believe asthma is well-controlled.
Normal pulmonary function tests
Assessment of asthma should occur routinely and especially if the patient’s symptoms are not well controlled.
This includes:
Frequency of
Symptoms
Night and morning symptoms
Rescue inhaler use
Activities, school or work limitations
Overall patient assessment
Pulmonary function tests
Assess
Psychosocial status
Adherence/compliance
Potential reasons for non-adherence
Tobacco smoke
Allergen avoidance and control measures including dust, cockroaches, animal dander etc.
Weight reduction for obesity
Mental illness
Poverty and social stressors
Poor te...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
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