Management issues in adult asthma

Asthma is common in the adult population and is one of the most frequently managed problems in general practice. It affects over two million Australians and costs about $600 million annually to the community in direct and indirect costs.

This article looks at the management of adult asthma including assessment, drug treatment, adherence issues and the importance of regular medical review.

The burden of illness from asthma is concentrated in general practice. The general practitioner therefore, plays a crucial role in the direct management of asthma and in assisting patients to optimally self manage their asthma. General practitioners are ideally positioned to ensure that all their patients with asthma understand their disease, have written instructions about when and how to treat exacerbations (all people with asthma are at risk of exacerbations) and are prescribed optimal therapy to control symptoms.