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Asthma Treatment Goals

British Columbia Specific Information

Asthma is a common chronic condition that causes your airway to narrow and swell. You may experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing. Symptoms may range from being mildly annoying to deadly. For this reason it is important to speak with a health care provider if you think you may have asthma.

For more information about asthma, visit our Asthma Health Feature. You may also call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.​

Topic Overview

Several expert groups have developed guidelines for getting asthma under control. In general, they list the goals of asthma treatment as:footnote 1, footnote 2

  • Preventing long-term (chronic) symptoms that interfere with daily living, such as coughing or shortness of breath during the night or after exercise.
  • Maintaining lung function near the personal best measurement.
  • Allowing the person to participate in all activities of daily living, including work, school, and exercise. Treatment to decrease nighttime symptoms and achieve uninterrupted sleep also is important.
  • Preventing repeated asthma attacks.
  • Providing the best medicine treatment with the fewest possible side effects.
  • Meeting your or your family's expectations for your or your teenager's asthma care. Effective treatment for asthma involves a partnership between the person, his or her family, and the doctor.

Goals of treatment for pregnant women with asthma

The overall goals of treatment for pregnant women with asthma are the same as for non-pregnant women with asthma. In addition, emphasis must be placed on:footnote 3

  • Monitoring lung function throughout the pregnancy to ensure adequate oxygen levels are present for the growing fetus.
  • Avoiding and controlling triggers of asthma symptoms so that medicine use may be decreased if possible during pregnancy.
  • Using an asthma action plan to manage episodes, and encouraging an increase or decrease in medicine as needed.
  • Educating the pregnant woman about management of asthma during pregnancy.
  • Delivering a healthy infant.

Definition of well-controlled asthma

The U.S. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program considers your asthma is well-controlled if you:footnote 4

  • Have asthma symptoms on 2 days a week or less.
  • Use your quick-relief inhaler on 2 days a week or less.
  • Have no asthma symptoms at night and do not wake up because of asthma symptoms.
  • Can exercise, work, and go to school with no limitations on your activity level.
  • Have a peak flow that is near your personal best (or better).

References

Citations

  1. Lougheed MD, et al. (2012). Canadian Thoracic Society 2012 guideline update: Diagnosis and management of asthma in preschoolers, children and adults. Canadian Respiratory Journal, 19(2): 127–164. Also available online: http://www.respiratoryguidelines.ca/guideline/asthma.
  2. Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters (2005). Attaining optimal asthma control: A practice parameter. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 116(5): S3–S11. Available online: http://www.allergyparameters.org/file_depot/0-10000000/30000-40000/30326/folder/73825/2005+Asthma+Control.pdf.
  3. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (2005). Working Group Report on Managing Asthma During Pregnancy: Recommendations for Pharmacologic Treatment Update 2004 (NIH Publication No. 05-5236). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/astpreg.htm.
  4. National Institutes of Health (2007). National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (NIH Publication No. 08–5846). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/index.htm.

Credits

Current as of:
July 6, 2021

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
Donald Sproule MDCM, CCFP - Family Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Rohit K Katial MD - Allergy and Immunology
Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine