[Asthma essentials for the practitioner]

Good treatment options are now available, particularly for the more common forms of asthma with type 2 inflammation. Asthmatics should learn to assess their own asthma control. In the case of exacerbations that cannot be quickly controlled with a self-management plan, a consultation with spirometry and at least a check of the eosinophil count in the differential blood count is necessary. It makes sense for spirometry to be checked prior to an exacerbation, but also after OCS therapy. This is the only way to differentiate between asthma, asthma-COPD co-existence, and COPD.