Please note - this EPG Asthma Knowledge Centre is for Doctors and other Health Care Professionals.

Asthma is a disorder defined by its clinical, physiological, and pathological characteristics. The main physiological feature of asthma is episodic airway obstruction characterized by expiratory airflow limitation. The dominant pathological feature is airway inflammation, sometimes associated with airway structural changes.

Pharmacologic management of asthma aims to control symptoms, prevent exacerbations and provide the best possible pulmonary function with minimal medications, side effects and risk factors.

During exacerbations, the patient will often have wheeze and reduced lung function, either reduced peak flow or an obstructive pattern on spirometry.

Two major areas of potential improvement fof asthma. Inadequate ICS use is one of the major factors that impact the failure of long-term management.¹ Also, following a general trend throughout the world, a more practical, symptom-based approach to diagnosis is warranted at the primary care level.¹

There is now good evidence that the clinical manifestations of asthma—symptoms, sleep disturbances, limitations of daily activity, impairment of lung function, and use of rescue medications—can be controlled with appropriate treatment.

Enter the Asthma Knowledge Centre

What’s in this Asthma Knowledge Centre?

Home | Definition | Prevalence | Burden | Causes of Asthma | Development & Progression of Asthma | Pathophysiology | The asthmatic response | Asthmatic Inflammation | Inflammation in the peripheral airways | Diagnosing | Assessment | Spirometry | Airway Responsiveness | Signs and Symptoms | Levels of asthma control | Classification | Education | Risk Factors | Non-Pharmacological | Pharmacological - Treatment steps for achieving control | stepwise approach | Corticosteroids | Alvesco | Pharmacokinetics | Pharmacodynamics | Clinical efficacy | Safety | Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) | Monitoring | Resources

References:
1. Masoli M, Fabian D, Holt S, Beasley R. Global Burden of Asthma. Developed for the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). 2005.