Asthma an Atlas of Investigation and Management.pdf

Asthma is an increasingly common chronic respiratory
condition, which now affects 1 in 3 children and 1 in 5
adults in westernised countries. Over the past 20–30 years,
we have begun to understand a good deal about asthma, and
the same time frame has seen considerable advances in its
treatment. However, much remains to be learned and there
remain many asthmatics who are undiagnosed and many
that are diagnosed are under-treated. Acute exacerbations
are the major cause of morbidity, mortality and healthcare
costs associated with asthma – regrettably they continue
to occur despite best use of currently available therapies
indicating that new approaches to therapy are still needed.