The key goals of asthma management are to avoid exacerbations and control symptoms. For many patients, symptom control means short-acting β2-agonist (SABA). However, SABA does not address the underlying inflammation of asthma.
The Global Asthma Initiative (GINA) now recommends that all adults and adolescents with asthma receive as needed low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)/formoterol as reliever, which will also act on inflammation with every inhalation, reducing risk of asthma exacerbations.
This program will review recent evidence supporting ICS/formoterol as both maintenance and reliever to better manage asthma and to avoid the risk of exacerbations and worsening asthma caused by overuse of SABA.
At the end of the program we will briefly touch on what is known about COVID-19 and asthma.
This program is developed in collaboration with Family Physician Airways Group of Canada, and has received an educational grant or in-kind support from AstraZeneca.