[Ambulatory treatment of asthma in adults].

Abstract

In the introduction the approach to the treatment of asthma has been classified into preventive measures and drug therapy. By both methods especially by drugs the inflammation in the airways should be decreased. According to the modern concepts of pathogenesis of asthma the bronchial hyperresponsiveness might be reduced together with the causes of the symptoms of asthma. For the preventive treatment of all but mild forms of asthma in most asthmatics the therapy of three parallel ways should be applied: bronchodilators in aerosol and/or perorally, anti-allergic inflammatory drugs as well as corticosteroids in aerosol only in exceptional cases per os. According to the clinical effect and lung function (measurement of PEF at home) the drugs and doses are changed. In acute aggravation of asthma when bronchodilators are not sufficient the corticosteroids should be added parenterally in high doses with special attention on beta agonists in inhalation of increased doses after the corticosteroids had been applied.