Abstract
• Asthma in the elderly tends to be underdiagnosed but, once it is considered, simple and safe tests may aid diagnosis. • Management of elderly patients with asthma should vary little from that of younger patients. The National Asthma Campaign's Six Step Asthma Management Plan provides a proforma for asthma management across all ages. • Inhaled corticosteroids (for stabilising the underlying inflammatory response) and short-acting beta agonists (for control of symptoms) remain the cornerstone of therapy. • It is important to ensure the patient has a current action plan and is using medication correctly.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 20-27 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Medicine Today |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |