Certain early warning signs usually occur before a full-blown asthma episode. Usually doctors look for patterns in a patient's symptoms and then try to categorize asthmatic patients according to the severity of their symptoms. These categories are based on how frequently symptoms appear and how patients respond to medication. It is important that people diagnosed with asthma, including those with mild asthma, not take their diagnosis lightly. To asthma patients, treatment means learning to prevent episodes, to monitor their condition, and to control flare-ups as soon as possible after they start.
Prevention includes avoiding asthma triggers and taking medicines to prevent episodes.
A peak flow meter provides an objective measure of lung function, and helps asthma patients monitor their condition. Because lung function decreases even before symptoms appear, patients can use a peak flow meter to assess their condition and share the information with their physicians to make informed decisions about treatment. The drugs currently available for asthma therapy can be categorized into two general groups. For the most serious asthma cases, oral or intravenous steroids may be used. In recent years scientists have focused their attention on the mediators of inflammation, including histamines, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes.