Ideal asthma management should therefore maximize clinical stability while minimizing total corticosteroid exposure. Patient education and counseling are important at every step of asthma care. Patients should be taught self-management practices for asthma. Through the use of a written action plan based on changes in symptoms or peak flow rates, the patient can modify the medication regimen and prevent an ER visit or hospitalization. There are numerous opportunities to improve outcomes for patients with COPD or asthma.
Patients benefit from education about their condition and the role of various medications.
In asthma, overreliance on inhaled -agonists and other therapeutic strategies may be reviewed when patients receive medication refills. The availability of new medications, monitoring tools , and inhalation devices offers numerous opportunities and challenges for physicians and pharmacists. Potent inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, alternative propellants in metered-dose inhalers, and new devices each represent an educational and training opportunity. Within the next 2 years, several new inhalation delivery and monitoring devices are anticipated. Additionally, combination inhalation products of current therapies will become available and are expected to improve convenience for patients.