Asthma Treatment Options

Introduction Asthma is a serious chronic illness that can wreak havoc in a person’s life. Whether young or old, treatment options can either help or hurt an asthma patient. Doctors and health professionals sometimes use the stepwise approach to help narrow down appropriate treatment options. While the stepwise approach has its place in treating asthma patients, there is also a need to research what recent options there are to help patients have a better quality of life with asthma.

These recent options paired with a stepwise approach can better prepare the doctor or health professional in giving high quality care to his/her patient. Asthma Treatment Options Every case of asthma demands proper assessment of circumstances and a tailored response to treatment. The right medication for someone who is male and aged 10 with low BMI may not work for someone who is older, female, and with higher BMI. Also, severity limits what kind of treatment options can be available (Heidelbaugh, 2015).

Keeping that in mind, there are two kinds of asthma medication administered. The first are long-term controllers. This type of asthma medication works over time, relaxing muscle bands and swelling in the airways. Treatment options for this type are for those not in any immediate danger related to their asthma symptoms. The frequency of dosing is usually once a day for those suffering from asthma symptoms twice a week (Heidelbaugh, 2015). The two types for long-term treatment are anti-inflammatory medicines and long-term controllers (Hess, MacIntyre, Galvin, & Mishoe, 2016).

Potential treatment options for inhaled corticosteroids are fluticasone, budesonide, and flunisolide (Hess, MacIntyre, Galvin, & Mishoe, 2016). These drugs are more preventative and aimed to treat children. Regarding bronchodilators, they include drugs like formoterol, salmetrol, and theophylline. For short-term and acute symptoms, inhaled short-acting beta 2 agonists can help patients. The drugs in this class are albuterol and levalbuterol. They treat asthma by helping loosen the tight muscle within a person’s airway, which allows for air to flow freely (Davis & Cladis, 2016).

For those with severe asthma, corticosteroids work at relieving swelling. The hang up with this treatment option is the potential for bad side effects. One other treatment option for those whose asthma does not respond well with medication is a bronchial thermoplasty. This procedure heats the airways, reducing any excess smooth muscle (Davis & Cladis, 2016). Several options exist to help asthma sufferers. The stepwise approach helps doctors and other medical professionals determine which treatment option is most suitable.

The approach combined with research on treatment modalities can help asthma sufferers receive the kind of medical care needed for positive health outcomes. Stepwise Approach What is the stepwise approach? “The stepwise approach tailors the selection of medication to the level of asthma severity or asthma control. The stepwise approach is meant to help, not replace, the clinical decision making needed to meet individual patient needs” (Heidelbaugh, 2015, p. 80).

The stepwise approach provides an easy to follow visual representation (chart) of what potential choices are available depending on the person’s severity, age, and offers an alternative just in case the first option is not viable. For example, theophylline is a potential alternative although, some say it is less desirable overall. “Theophylline is a less desirable alternative because of the need to monitor serum concentration levels” (Heidelbaugh, 2015, p. 80). Part of what makes this kind of method appealing is the visual guides that make information processing easier.

The approach offers a ‘Step up’ and a ‘Step down’ depending on reassessment. The first step is a short-acting beta-agonist. This is a preliminary option. Step 2 offers for ‘all ages’, a low-dose inhaled steroid. The alternatives are several with one option being Leukotriene (Bope & Kellerman, 2015). Step 3 offers the same thing along with another option of a medium-dose inhaled steroid. The options continue with children 0-4 depending on severity, getting a high-dose inhaled steroid.

The stepwise approach helps patients and health care providers by providing suitable options and alternatives for varied scenarios. Children especially may require different treatments and may not respond well to specific drugs (Ferri, 2015). Therefore, it is helpful to have an easy to understand chart available for quick synthesis of potential treatment options. As earlier mentioned, the least resort for children with severe asthma is either surgery or corticosteroids.

If health care providers can avoid these last-choice options, by trying a different medication first that fits the severity level, they can avoid potential bad side effects for their patients, leading to better health outcomes and higher quality medical care (Tindall, Sedrak, & Boltri, 2014). Conclusion In conclusion, new treatment modalities and prescription options exist for the.