ASTHMA MANAGEMENT - THE CASE FOR AIMING AT CONTROL RATHER THAN MERELYRELIEF

Asthma is a common and eminently treatable disease. Most asthma patien ts are initially seen by primary care physicians, who are likely to ha ve a significant part in management. Research has provided physicians with a better understanding of the pathophysiologic basis of asthma an d new antiasthma agents. Guidelines have been published to disseminate asthma management information. On the basis of these advances, there appears to be no reason that informed physicians cannot play an import ant role in reversing recent trends of rising asthma morbidity and mor tality. PGM.