TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ASTHMA
The symptoms, triggers and diagnosis of asthma has been discussed in an earlier article. Here I will be covering the various treatment options available, the types of drugs used, and how asthma control can be monitored.
The ultimate goal of asthma treatment and management is to achieve and maintain good control, such that the patient has minimal symptoms (ie. No sleep disturbance, no early morning shortness of breath, no exercise intolerance, no recurrent, persistent coughs), infrequent exacerbations, minimal need for bronchodilator therapy and can have normal physical activities. Basically, good control means that the patient should be able to learn a largely normal, healthy and active life, with minimal limitations, if any, to activities.
Medication which are most commonly used in asthma treatment:
1. ?Reliever? medication ? these are the short-acting bronchodilators which bring quick relief during an acute attack. They relax the muscles of the airways causing them to open up. May be administered as an aerosol spray, syrup or tablet form, depending on the preference of the patient. The evohaler version (ie. aerosol spray) brings the quickest relief with the lowest dose because it delivers the drug directly to the site of action.
2. ?Preventers? ? these medications are anti-inflammatory agents which help prevent attacks. They are mostly low dose steroids, which may be used on their own (eg. Beclotide and flixotide) or in combination with long-acting bronchodilators (eg. Seretide and symbicort).
3. Montelukast ? these are leukotriene receptor antagonists. These ?sprinkle on? granules and chewable tablets are useful in children with mild persistent asthma. They also provide some protection in exercise-induced asthma and are effective as an add-on therapy in children whose asthma is insufficiently controlled on low-doses of inhaled steroids alone.
4. Oral steroids ? used in the short term treatment of acute asthma attacks.
5. Nebulized medication ? your doctor may prescribe medication via a nebulizer machine for treatment of severe acute attacks. This machine pumps a continuous mist of medication, which is inhaled via a face mask. It often brings immediate relief.
An equally important part of asthma management, to avoid possible triggers. This will be discussed in further detail in another article.
As the goal of asthma therapy is to achieve good control, patients should periodically monitor that control has been achieved and maintained. This can be done via various simple tools such as the Asthma Control Test (ACT) ? a symptom assessment questionnaire. Monitoring of control can also be done by testing lung function with spirometry and peak expiratory flow rates. These monitoring tests are sometimes performed by your doctor.
Whilst there is no cure for asthma, it is a very treatable disease in which good control can usually be achieved. As with other chronic conditions, it the wise who remember to “take control of asthma, and not allow asthma to control you”.
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