The Sheldon Short Guide to Asthma by Mark Greener

Author:Mark Greener [Greener Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847093813
Publisher: John Murray Press

4

Treating asthma in adults

The wide choice of drugs and devices now available for asthma means that you and your doctor or nurse can probably find the right combination of a bronchodilator (‘reliever’) and an anti-inflammatory (‘preventer’) to:

•minimize symptoms, including nocturnal and exercise-induced symptoms;

•prevent exacerbations, therefore minimizing your need to use ‘rescue’ bronchodilators to alleviate asthma attacks;

•achieve the best possible lung function (ideally within 80 per cent of your best or predicted value);

•minimize side effects.

You should agree individual goals for your treatment. Doctors or nurses may focus more on symptoms and lung function, while you may want to spend more time in the garden, return to work or exercise. You can adapt treatment to meet your goals. You may need more intensive therapy if you are planning to run a marathon than if you want to want to play with your kids or grandchildren in the park, for example.

Once you’ve agreed your goals watch for any signs of poor control. For example, if you can answer yes to one or more of the following questions, you may have poorly controlled asthma and should see your doctor or nurse:

•Have you experienced difficulties sleeping because of asthma, including cough?

•Have new asthma symptoms (cough, wheeze, chest tightness or breathlessness) emerged?

•Have your usual symptoms become more severe during the day?

•Has asthma interfered with your usual activities around the home, at work or college?

•Are you using more than 10 or 12 puffs of bronchodilator a day – around two canisters a month?

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