Asthma bronchiale – medikamentöse Behandlung

Abstract

Asthma is a common, chronic inflammatory airway disease associated with prominent health and economic consequences. In the first National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines the level of symptoms and airflow limitation and its variability subdivided asthma by severity into four subcategories (intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent). In the new GINA guidelines asthma control is emphasized as a main goal and a periodic assessment of asthma control is recommended. The three subcategories are controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled asthma. The achievement and maintenance of asthma control is a long-term process with focus on: (1.) diagnosis and objective evaluation of disease activity, (2.) Adequate pharmacotherapy and reevaluation of response to therapy, (3.) regular follow up, and (4.) self-management education. This article presents an overview on pharmacotherapy for adult asthmatics, with emphasise on the importance of achieving and to maintain control.