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Published on: November 4, 2010

Current trends in management of pediatric asthma

Carolyn M Kercsmar1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Wetern Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. carolyn.kercsmar@uhhs.com.

Respiratory Care
|April 2, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Asthma management can be improved with standardized care paths and updated treatments. While not curable, effective asthma control is achievable through evidence-based strategies and proper medication delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Clinical Practice Guidelines

Background:

  • Asthma management varies significantly across healthcare settings, often influenced by physician preference over data-driven approaches.
  • Existing treatments can effectively control asthma, but optimal strategies for acute and chronic cases require standardization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of standardized care paths on the quality and cost of acute asthma management.
  • To explore the benefits of newer pharmacotherapies and inhalation techniques for improving asthma outcomes.
  • To address controversies in chronic asthma management, particularly for patients with suboptimal response to inhaled corticosteroids.

Main Methods:

  • Implementation of carefully designed care paths for acute asthma in emergency and inpatient settings.
  • Utilization of newer beta-agonist medications and optimized inhalation delivery systems.
  • Assessment-driven care paths administered by respiratory therapists and nurses.

Main Results:

  • Care paths can enhance the quality of care and reduce management costs for acute asthma.
  • Improved patient outcomes and satisfaction may result from using advanced beta agonists and appropriate inhalation devices.
  • Assessment-driven care paths demonstrate safe and effective administration by allied health professionals.

Conclusions:

  • Standardized, data-driven care paths are crucial for consistent and cost-effective asthma management.
  • Optimizing pharmacotherapy and delivery systems can significantly improve asthma control and patient experience.
  • Further research is needed to resolve controversies in managing difficult-to-treat chronic asthma.

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