• Avoid troublesome symptoms night and day
• Use little or no reliever medication
• Have productive, physically active lives
• Have (near) normal lung function
• Avoid serious attacks

Asthma causes recurring episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, particularly at night or in the early morning.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. Chronically inflamed airways are hyperresponsive; they become obstructed and airflow is limited (by bronchoconstriction, mucus plugs, and increased inflammation) when airways are exposed to various risk factors.

Common risk factors for asthma symptoms include exposure to allergens (such as those from house dust mites, animals with fur, cockroaches, pollens, and molds), occupational irritants, tobacco smoke, respiratory (viral) infections, exercise, strong emotional expressions, chemical irritants, and drugs (such as aspirin and beta blockers).

A stepwise approach to pharmacologic treatment to achieve and maintain control of asthma should take into account the safety of treatment, potential for adverse effects, and the cost of treatment required to achieve control.

Asthma attacks (or exacerbations) are episodic, but airway inflammation is chronically present....

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