title: [Asthma: treatment of exacerbations].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exacerbations remain, in both adults and children, a common reason for emergency consultation. The management of the asthmatic patient with an acute exacerbation is well defined.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The initial evaluation, based on the background risk factors and the clinical examination, will determine the choice of treatment and management. Treatment is based on bronchodilators and corticosteroids in the majority of cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An episode of exacerbation may be the opportunity to establish contact with the patient (an educational approach) to improve the adherence to long-term treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, which remain the best way of preventing future exacerbations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early and appropriate management of exacerbations of asthma should reduce asthma morbidity and mortality. It could also reduce the socioeconomic costs of these episodes and the number and duration of hospital admissions.
authors.affiliation: Unité de pneumologie allergologie pédiatriques, hôpital Jeanne-de-Flandre, CHRU de Lille, Lille cedex, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lubret
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bervar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thumerelle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deschildre
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tillie-Leblond
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000465:Algorithms; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents