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Asthma management: important issues

P. Barnes^*, J. C. Virchow^#, J. Sanchis^¶, T. Welte and S. Pedersen

^* National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK, ^# Dept of Pneumology, University Medical Clinic, University of Rostock, Rostock, and Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany, ^¶ Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain, Kolding Hospital, Kolding, Denmark.

CORRESPONDENCE: P. J. Barnes, Dept of Thoracic Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK. Fax: 44 2073515675. E-mail: p.j.barnes{at}ic.ac.uk

Although most attention has been focused on the drugs used to control asthma, it is increasingly recognised that effective delivery of these drugs to the lungs is just as important. The most effective drugs, ß₂-agonists and corticosteroids, are given by inhalation so there has been a search for more efficient inhaler devices that are easier for patients to use. A symposium at the European Respiratory Society Annual Meeting in 2005 discussed some of the important issues in inhaler therapy in adults and children. This article summarises the major points of discussion that arose out of this symposium. New more effective inhaler devices are now becoming available and are likely to have an important impact on asthma management.

KEYWORDS: Asthma, dry-powder inhaler, metered-dose inhaler, spacer