ePulmonology Review

Mild Asthma: The Consequences of Undertreatment

In this issue:

“Mild asthma” — it’s the diagnosis of 50% to 75% of patients with asthma. Despite the current guidance recommending inhaled corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, symptoms, and the risk of exacerbations, therapy for patients with mild asthma typically relies on short-acting beta agonists (SABA), used as needed for symptom relief. But SABA does not address the underlying airway inflammation causing the symptoms, nor does it prevent exacerbations.

How should clinicians address therapy for their patients diagnosed with “mild asthma”? What does the current research say about treatment selection in regard to efficacy, adherence, and safety? 

Join Dr. Ashraf Fawzy from the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as he reports on these and other concerns about mild asthma in this issue of ePulmonology Review.

Learning objective:

• Discuss the potential consequences of undertreatment of asthma that is classified as “mild” and the guideline-recommended treatment strategies.