title: The role of budesonide/formoterol for maintenance and relief in the management of asthma.
abstract: The aim of asthma management is to gain and maintain asthma control and reduce the risk of future exacerbations. However, despite the availability of effective therapies and national and international guidelines for their use, many patients remain inadequately controlled and continue to endure and accept a reduced quality of life. This review discusses current challenges in asthma management facing primary care physicians and provides insight into new treatment strategies developed to improve asthma control. A web-based literature review was undertaken with a focus on studies and reviews discussing asthma control and management with traditional therapies and new therapies, including a novel treatment approach using budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy. One of the most common problems in long-term asthma control is poor adherence to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) maintenance therapy, resulting in under-treatment of inflammation. Many patients tend to over-rely on short-acting beta(2)-agonist medication for quick relief of symptoms at the expense of ICS therapy, thus lowering anti-inflammatory protection and increasing the propensity for the development of severe and potentially life-threatening exacerbations. New simplified treatment strategies have been investigated with the aim of overcoming many of these primary care challenges, ultimately improving asthma control and reducing the future risk of exacerbations.
authors.affiliation: Bedford Park Medical Centre, 17 Bedford Park Avenue, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 2N9, Canada. for4kids@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Dermot
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019819:Budesonide; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate