ConclusionsAsthma is the most commo

Conclusions
Asthma is the most common respiratory disorder in
Canada, and contributes to significant morbidity and
mortality. A diagnosis of asthma should be suspected in
patients with recurrent cough, wheeze, chest tightness
and dyspnea, and should be confirmed using objective
measures of lung function (spirometry preferred).
Allergy testing is also recommended to identify possible
triggers of asthma symptoms.
In most patients, asthma control can be achieved
through the use of avoidance measures and appropriate
pharmacological interventions. ICSs represent the standard
of care for the majority of asthma patients. For
those who fail to achieve control with low-to-moderate
ICS doses, combination therapy with a LABA and ICS is
the preferred treatment choice in most adults. LTRAs
can also be used as add-on therapy if asthma is uncontrolled
despite the use of low-to-moderate dose ICS
therapy, particularly in patients with concurrent allergic
rhinitis. Anti-IgE therapy may be useful in select cases
of difficult to control asthma. Allergen-specific immunotherapy
is a potentially disease-modifying therapy, but
should only be prescribed by physicians with appropriate
training in allergy. All patients with asthma should
have regular follow-up visits during which criteria for
asthma control, adherence to therapy and proper inhaler
technique should be reviewed.