title: The revised 2014 GINA strategy report: opportunities for change.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This document reviews a major revision of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention that was published in 2014. The report aimed not only to update evidence-based recommendations for asthma diagnosis and management but also to innovate through a new format and layout to make its recommendations more clinically relevant and easier to implement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GINA 2014 report includes a new definition of asthma that recognizes the heterogeneity of the disease and its phenotypes, and a new chapter about the asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome. Among key messages, the report stresses that therapeutic decisions should be based not only on assessment of symptoms but also on risk factors for exacerbations, side effects of therapy and development of fixed airflow limitation. Asthma management includes not only medications but also nonpharmacological therapies and strategies, in a coordinated and personalized approach to individual patient care. On the basis of evidence about how to achieve behaviour change by health professionals, the recommendations are presented in a user-friendly format, with numerous tables, algorithms and flow-charts facilitating implementation. Background supporting material has been gathered online.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GINA 2014 report provides updated and more easily implementable recommendations on optimal asthma management.
authors.affiliation: aInstitut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec bInstitute for Heart and Lung Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada cWoolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Glebe, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Louis-Philippe
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Boulet
authors.forename: J Mark
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.forename: Helen K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Reddel
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents