This guideline covers diagnosing, monitoring and managing asthma in adults, young people and children. It aims to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, help people to control their asthma and reduce the risk of asthma attacks.
The investment and training required to implement the guideline will take time, in the meantime, primary care services should implement what they can of the recommendations, using currently available approaches to diagnosis until the infrastructure for objective testing is in place.
It does not cover managing severe asthma or acute asthma attacks.
Recommendations
This guideline includes recommendations on:
- Initial clinical assessment
- Diagnosing asthma in young children
- Objective tests for diagnosing asthma (including diagnostic algorithms)
- Pharmacological treatment
- Adherence, self-management and decreasing treatment
- Monitoring asthma control
Who is it for?
- GPs and practice nurses
- Healthcare professionals in secondary care and tertiary asthma services
- Commissioners and providers
- People with suspected or diagnosed asthma, their families and carers