Treatment Overview

Although asthma cannot be cured, you can manage the symptoms with medicines, especially inhaled corticosteroids and beta2-agonists. You will probably work with your doctor to develop an asthma action plan. This plan will help you meet treatment goals and get your asthma under control. The goals of asthma treatment are to:¹⁹

• Prevent symptoms.
• Keep your peak flow and lung function as close to normal as possible.
• Be able to do your normal daily activities, including work, school, exercise, and recreation.
• Prevent asthma attacks.
• Have few or no side effects from medicine.

For more information, see:

Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma.

Emergency treatment

If you have a severe asthma attack (the red zone of your asthma action plan), use medicine based on your action plan and talk with a doctor immediately about what to do next. This is especially important if your peak expiratory flow (PEF) does not return to the green zone or stays within the yellow zone after you take medicine. You may have to go to the hospital or an emergency room for treatment. Be sure to tell the emergency staff if you are pregnant.

At the hospital, you will probably receive inhaled beta2-agonists and corticosteroids. You may be given oxygen therapy. Your lung function and condition will be assessed. Depending on your response, further treatment in the emergency room or a stay in the hospital may be needed.

Some people are at increased risk of death from asthma, such as people who have been admitted to an intensive care unit for asthma or who have needed a breathing tube (intubation) for asthma. These people need to seek medical care early when they have symptoms.

Medical checkups

You need to monitor your asthma and have regular checkups to keep it under control and to ensure correct treatment. Checkups are recommended every 1 to 6 months, depending on how well your asthma is controlled.

During checkups, your doctor will ask whether your symptoms and peak expiratory flow have held steady, improved, or become worse and will ask about asthma attacks during exercise or at night. You track this information in an asthma diary. You may be asked to bring your inhaler and peak expiratory flow meter to an appointment so your doctor can see how you use them.

Initial treatment

There are many components to managing asthma. After your diagnosis, your doctor may only discuss what you need to know immediately. These include: