Describe long-term control and quick relief treatment options for asthma patients, as well as the impact these drugs might have on patients.
Explain the stepwise approach to asthma treatment and management.
Explain how stepwise management assists health care providers and patients in gaining and maintaining control of the disease.

Asthma Treatment

Long-term Control and Quick Relief Treatment Options for Asthma Patients

Long-term control treatment options for asthma work overtime to stop symptoms, reduce airways swelling and to relax the muscle bands around airways. These medications include anti-inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators (Horak et al, 2016). Anti-inflammatory drugs prevent asthmatic symptoms, reduce swelling in the airways when an asthmatic person comes into contact with trigger and control mucus in order to make breathing easier. Examples of anti-inflammatory drugs include inhaled corticosteroids, cromolyn sodium, montelukast, zafirlukast, and zileuton. On the other hand, bronchodilators are taken together with anti-inflammatory medications to assist patients with asthma to breathe by relaxing muscles around the airways. Bronchodilators include inhaled long-acting beta2-agonists, combination inhalers and theophylline (Efraij & Mark, 2015).  Asthma Treatment Essay

Quick-relief treatments are medications that are used to quickly relieve asthma symptoms when they flare up. They function by loosening up tight muscles around airways to allow air to flow through, fast relaxing of airways to make breathing easier, and relieving swelling in the airways (Reddel et al, 2015). They include inhaled short-acting beta2 agonists, ipratropium (Atrovent), and corticosteroids.

Long-term effects of corticosteroids include systemic effects such as dermal thinning, high blood pressure, diabetes, and growth suppression. Effects of inhaled long-acting beta2-agonists include increased heart rate, hypokalemia, and shakiness (Efraij & Mark, 2015).

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The Stepwise Approach to Asthma Treatment and Management

Step 1 involves mild intermittent symptoms and the recommended medication is short-acting beta-agonist such as albuterol prn. If it is used more than two days weekly, the medication should be considered insufficient control and the treatment should be stepped up. This covers all ages. Step 2, the patient has mild persistent asthma and the treatment involves low-dose inhaled corticosteroids and alternatively leukotriene blocker or cromolyn (Horak et al, 2016). The listed alternatives should only be used if the patient does not tolerate the recommended treatment. Inhaled corticosteroid is the treatment of choice and evidence supports its use over the alternative. Step 3 and 4 involve moderate and severe asthma and in these step, the dose of inhaled corticosteroid is either increased or LABA addition is considered or both for step 4 (Reddel et al, 2015). For step 5 and 6, the dose of inhaled corticosteroids is further increased and the addition of omalizumab is considered. For step 6, oral or chronic corticosteroids (typically prednisone) are considered. Whereas the drug utilized at every step is crucial, these medications only represent a part of the care plan. For every step, the patient should be given the suitable education regarding asthma, allergies, environmental controls and how to manage comorbidities (Horak et al, 2016).  Asthma Treatment Essay

How Stepwise Management assists Health Care Providers and Patients in Gaining and Maintaining Control of the Disease

Stepwise management of asthma ensures that patients and healthcare providers have written action plans that guide patients on effective control of asthmatic attack or exacerbations. In addition, the stepwise plan allows healthcare providers to develop personalized treatment plans and steps for patients; this enables patients to effectively manage any changes in their conditions (Anise & Romana, 2016). The ability of the patient to adjust their stepwise drugs in accordance with their asthmatic system helps patients to gain and maintain control of the disease process. Effective use of the stepwise approach in managing asthma ensures there are effective management and prevention of asthma exacerbations (Anise & Romana, 2016).

References

Efraij K & Mark F. (2015). Current and emerging treatments for severe asthma. J Thorac Dis. 7(11), E522–E525.

Horak F, Daniel D, Eber E, Horak E, Pohl W, osef R, et al. (2016). Diagnosis and management of asthma – Statement on the 2015 GINA Guidelines. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 128(15), 541–554.

Anise A & Romana H. (2016). Patient-centered outcomes research to improve asthma outcomes. Clinical reviews in allergy and immunology. 138(6), 1503–1510.

Reddel H, Eric B, Becker A, Cruz A, Drazen J et al. (2015). A summary of the new GINA strategy: a roadmap to asthma control. Eur Respir J. 46(3), 622–639. Asthma Treatment Essay