Goals in the Management of Asthma

¹ The Division of Allergy-Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago.

The specffic goals in management of asthma will vary markedly for each patient depending on the type and severity of the asthma. Broad goals include prevention of death, of status asthmaticus, and of frequent emergency room visits. Further goals include preventing excess absenteeism from work or school, limiting the side effects of medication used for control of asthma, and providing safety to fetus and mother in the pregnant patient with asthma. Finally, a good quality of life and a good self image should be maintained by the patients who should think of themselves as normal people with asthma and not as chronically ill patients. These goals are all achievable in every patient with asthma in theory, practically achievable in most patients, but not achievable in all patients. The degree of achievement depends on adequacy of evaluation of the patient and appropriateness of management by the physician and compliance and cooperation of the patient.