Asthma remains the most common chronic respiratory disease in Canada, affecting approximately 10% of the population [1]. Although asthma is often believed to be a disorder localized to the lungs, current evidence indicates that it may represent a component of systemic airway disease involving the entire respiratory tract, and this is supported by the fact that asthma frequently coexists with other atopic disorders, particularly allergic rhinitis [2].
Despite significant improvements in the diagnosis and management of asthma over the past decade, as well as the availability of comprehensive and widely-accepted national and international clinical practice guidelines for the disease, asthma control in Canada remains suboptimal. Results from the recent Reality of Asthma Control (TRAC) in Canada study suggest that over 50% of Canadians with asthma have uncontrolled disease [3]. Poor asthma control contributes to unnecessary morbidity, limitations to daily activities and impairments in overall quality of life [1].
This article provides an overview of diagnostic and therapeutic guideline recommendations from the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) and the Canadian Thoracic Society and as well as a review of current literature related to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and appropriate treatment of asthma.