Guidelines for the management of chronic asthma in adolescents and adults

Abstract

Asthma prevalence is increasing worldwide and surveys indicate that the majority of patients in developed and developing countries do not receive optimal care and are therefore not well controlled. The aim of these guidelines is to promote a better standard of treatment based on advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy of asthma and to encourage uniformity in the management of asthma. The South African Thoracic Society first published guidelines for the management of chronic persistent asthma in 1992 and the second revision in 2000. The current revision is prompted by: •The revised classification and new evidence on the safety and optimal use of asthma medication •An ongoing need to emphasize the use of anti-inflammatory medication as the foundation of asthma treatment •The positioning of leukotriene modifiers in the maintenance treatment of chronic asthma •An emphasis on defining and achieving control of asthma