In 1997, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP, a project of the National Institutes of Health) refined the system that health care providers use to classify “types” of asthma. The new labels help clarify how asthma is treated. The change from “mild” asthma to “mild persistent” asthma may seem small, but it reflects an important difference in what you can expect from asthma treatment.

The old classification put a label on how severe an asthma episode was at the time of diagnosis. The label was not routinely reevaluated, nor were you expected to improve much. In other words, “mild” asthma was a lifetime label. The new classification system takes into account how often you have asthma episodes, as well as how severe those episodes are. It recognizes that your asthma “type” can and should change as treatment continues and your condition improves.

This kind of change happens because new asthma research is published all the time. And much of it is focused on better and safer ways to help people with asthma control their disease. Today’s physicians know that an asthma management plan should give you the tools you need to live with asthma — and without asthma episodes. In fact, every asthma episode is the result of a failed management plan, according to the NAEPP.

Regardless of how your asthma is classified at the time of diagnosis, monitoring the frequency and severity of your episodes will tell you how your asthma management plan is working. As you gain control over asthma, your episodes should become less frequent. Over time, your health care provider may adjust your medication, and may classify your asthma as a less severe type.

On the other hand, if you find your episodes increasing and if you use a short-acting inhaler (rescue medication) more than 2-4 times per week (or especially 3-4 times a day), call your health care provider. Request a review of your asthma classification and your management plan.

Asthma classifications and recommended treatment (according to the NAEPP)

Mild intermittent asthma

• Frequency of symptoms: occasional, only after exposure to a trigger
• Nighttime episodes: occasional, only after exposure to a trigger
• Treatment: trigger avoidance and using a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator

Mild persistent asthma

• Frequency of symptoms: more than twice weekly, less than daily
• Nighttime episodes: no more than twice monthly
• Treatment: using a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator and taking daily anti-inflammatory medication (inhaled)

Moderate persistent asthma

• Frequency of symptoms: daily
• Nighttime episodes: more than once weekly
• Treatment: taking daily anti-inflammatory medication, and using a long-acting bronchodilator and a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator

Severe persistent asthma

• Frequency of symptoms: continual
• Nighttime episodes: frequent and severe
• Treatment: taking a daily high-dose anti-inflammatory medication, using a long-acting bronchodilator, and taking a corticosteroid (syrup or tablets)

This entry was posted on Friday, September 14th, 2007 at 8:22 am and is filed under Adult Asthma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.