Asthma: self-management plans and patient education

摘要

Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory condition with significant socio-economic costs for the patient and society. Asthma management involves a complex mixture of pharmacotherapy, counselling and education Detailed guidelines have recently been republished by the British Thoracic Society together with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (BTS/SIGN). They include the recommendation to offer self-management education and written action plans to all patients,. Despite these guidelines, asthma morbidity remains high and compliance with treatment and understanding of the disease are generally poor. This paper sets out the case for self-management education and personal asthma action plans and argues that new patient-centred approaches are critical for their successful implementation.