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Management of asthma exacerbations: home treatment
1Montefiore Medical Center/Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
Insights
This study reviews asthma management guidelines for children, focusing on home treatment protocols and behavioral strategies. It highlights discrepancies between recommended practices and actual home care for pediatric asthma exacerbations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood asthma significantly contributes to morbidity.
- Delayed care and improper home management worsen pediatric asthma outcomes.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines exist for asthma diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review pharmacological protocols for home asthma exacerbation treatment.
- To discuss behavioral aspects of pediatric asthma management.
- To identify gaps between asthma guidelines and clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines.
- Analysis of pharmacological and behavioral components of asthma care.
- Discussion of practical issues in medication and equipment use.
Main Results:
- Guidelines for pediatric asthma diagnosis and management were established in 1991 and revised in 1997.
- Behavioral components discussed include symptom monitoring, care-seeking, and clinician-patient partnerships.
- Discrepancies exist between recommended asthma management guidelines and current practices.
Conclusions:
- Effective pediatric asthma management requires adherence to guidelines.
- Behavioral strategies are crucial for improving home-based asthma care.
- Addressing the gap between guidelines and practice is essential for reducing childhood asthma morbidity.
Abstract:
Asthma is a major cause of morbidity in children. Delays in care and inappropriate home management practices can contribute to morbidity and mortality. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma were developed in 1991 and revised in 1997 by The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. In this article we review the recommended pharmacological protocol for home treatment of asthma exacerbations, and then discuss in more detail behavioral components of asthma management, including monitoring of symptoms, seeking medical care, developing clinician-patient partnerships, and practical issues in equipment and medication usage. Discrepancies between guideline recommendations and current management practices are also discussed.