Review article

Asthma Control Level as an Indicator of the Appropriateness of Therapy

Ivan Gudelj ; KBC Split
Neven Tudorić ; KB Dubrava

Abstract

An increasing number of f acts on the natural course of asthma confirms that inflammation, hyperreactivity, remodelling and irreversible loss of lung function are linear events occurring over a long period of time in the majority of asthma patients. A timely and long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids, as the most potent anti-inflammatory drugs, provides an efficient control of symptoms and prevents remodeling and irreversible loss of lung function. Often, the treatment focused only on alleviation of symptoms and improvement of lung function does not ensure optimal asthma control. Therapeutic decisions should be based on indicators which take into account various aspects of asthma control and which, either directly or indirectly, show the level of inflammatory reactions in airways. Poor asthma control is a sign of inappropriate treatment, i.e. inadequate treatment of airway inflammation. To a significant extent it results from unreasonably modest patient expectations and inappropriately low treatment goals. Full asthma control can be achieved in most patients if the appropriate doses of basic medicines are used over a sufficiently long period of time.

Keywords

asthma; asthma control; inflammation; hyperreactivity; remodeling; treatment

Hrčak ID:

81082

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/81082

Publication date:

19.12.2011.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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