Review article

Therapeutic Approach to Childhood Asthma

Mirjana Turkalj ; Dječja bolnica Srebrnjak
Damir Erceg ; Dječja bolnica Srebrnjak

Abstract

Asthma in childhood is an infl ammation of airways, i.e. a heterogeneous disease with diff erent phenotypes and endotypes
and variable clinical manifestations which depend on age, gender, genetic background and environmental infl uences. In children asthma is usually associated with allergic sensitization. Asthma treatment and management is primarily directed towards suppressing airway infl ammation with anti-inflammatory drugs (inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene receptor antagonists etc.) and relieving bronchoconstriction with bronchodilators. Therapy is determined to a large extent following an initial assessment of severity and subsequent establishment of control, both of which can be variable over time. Unfortunately, despite the availability of effective therapies, asthma control is suboptimal in many patients worldwide. There is an urgent need to identify the underlying basis of asthma, understand the complex genetic and environmental influences, and develop an appropriate treatment strategy.

Keywords

asthma; child; therapy; guidelines

Hrčak ID:

106478

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/106478

Publication date:

15.5.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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