Asthma management across the life span: applications for the adult and older adult

Asthma is one of the most common and chronic diseases of adults and creates substantial health problems. The disease must be diagnosed appropriately, its severity assessed, and treatment prescribed that matches the level of severity. Patient education in self-management techniques and attention to the problems of adherence are essential for long-term management. Comorbid conditions should be suspected and treated when asthma becomes difficult to control. Asthma in the elderly is a challenging but frequent problem that requires particular attention to controlling the causes of excessive morbidity and mortality. All health care professionals have an important role in controlling this common disease.