Asthma care – time for a rethink
Intended for healthcare professionals
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Asthma care – time for a rethink

Jane Scullion Respiratory nurse consultant, Respiratory unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester
Steve Holmes GP, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Asthma is a common problem managed in primary care, however many patients do not have good control of their condition. This article looks at routine asthma care, indicating where the findings from the 2014 National Review of Asthma Deaths might change current practice. It examines triggers and exacerbations and considers the four key areas identified in the report: the use of services, medical and professional care, prescribing and medicines use, patient factors and perception of risk of poor control. The article also highlights the role of medications, including helping patients understand stepping up and stepping down, the place of current and future therapies in asthma care, and how to review patients effectively while managing their concerns.

Primary Health Care. 24, 10, 32-38. doi: 10.7748/phc.24.10.32.e953

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

Correspondence

jane.scullion@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 18 August 2014

Accepted: 07 October 2014

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