Making a Difference in the Management of Asthma: A Guide for Respiratory Therapists

摘要

In recent years, respiratory therapists (RTs) employed in hospitals, emergency departments, home care settings, and clinics have expressed the need for more information about assessing asthma patients, improving patient adherence to treatment through education, managing an asthma exacerbation, developing a care plan, monitoring asthma control using peak flow measures and/or symptoms, and reducing asthma triggers. This guide has been prepared in an effort to respond to these expressed needs. It builds upon the four basic components of effective asthma management as outlined in the National Asthma Education and Prevention Programs (NAEPPs) Expert Panel Report 2: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (EPR-2) and subsequent update of the guidelines, Expert Panel Report: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of AsthmaUpdate on Selected Topics 2002 (EPR Update 2002). This guide demonstrates how to apply the principles of the four basic components of asthma care to real-life practice. The guide can serve as an easy and practical reference for the RT; it presents information in a way that will make it easier to share with patients.