#58: What is controlled Asthma? Everything you need to know!

In the second episode of the Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations Podcast Series, Dr. G and Kortney dive into the critical topic of controlled and uncontrolled asthma. They shed light on various aspects of asthma, including its types, severity levels, medications, and the importance of asthma action plans.

This episode is especially important to our hosts as asthma has personally impacted them.

What we cover about controlled asthma:

• A quick review of asthma

• Types and severity levels of asthma

• Asthma can manifest in various forms, including:

  • Allergic asthma (triggered by allergens).

  • Non-allergic asthma (triggered by factors other than allergens).

  • Occupational asthma (caused by workplace exposure).

  • Exercise-induced asthma.

  • Cough-variant asthma (primarily chronic cough).

  • Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).

  • Late-onset asthma (developing in adulthood).

  • Eosinophilic asthma (inflammation-related).

  • Asthma can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on symptoms and lung function tests. Severity impacts treatment strategies.

• Medications for asthma management

  • Rescue or emergency medication (for mild asthma).

  • Controller medication (for moderate to severe asthma). Controller medications include inhaled steroids, other medications, and biologics for severe cases.

• Assessing asthma control

• Asthma control is evaluated based on the "Rule of 2s". If you have two or more of the following, your asthma may not be controlled;

  • Symptoms more than two days a week.

  • Quick-relief medication usage more than two times a week.

  • Nighttime awakenings due to asthma more than two times a month.

  • Asthma exacerbations require oral steroids twice a year.

• What is good asthma control, and why is this important

• The long-term effects of uncontrolled asthma

• Asthma Peak Week.

• Creating an asthma action plan

• Working with healthcare providers and asthma coaches

Resources to help you with your asthma control:

Asthma Management and Control: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what-is-asthma/asthma-management-and-control/ 

Asthma Action Plan: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what-is-asthma/asthma-action-plan/  This page is great because it has multiple types of Asthma Action Plans.

Infographic about asthma peak in September: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/images/Asthma/September_Asthma_Peak_July2023v1.pdf

Asthma Coach: www. AsthmaCoach.org and https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/free-asthma-coach-program/.

Lifestyle Changes to Manage Asthma: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what-is-asthma/lifestyle-changes-to-manage-asthma/

Biologic medications: www.BiologicMeds.org

Type 2 Inflammation: eosasthma.org https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/when-asthma-more-than-asthma-type-inflammation/