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General Guidelines for Referral to an Asthma Specialist
An
asthma specialist is usually a fellowship-trained allergist or
pulmonologist or, sometimes, a doctor with skill in asthma
management gained through extra training and experience.
If you are a person or caregiver of a person with asthma,
talk to your doctor first if you think you need to see a
specialist. Referral
to a specialist in asthma care is recommended by the NHLBI
guidelines if:
-
There has
been a life-threatening asthma episode.
-
It is not
clear if asthma is the only reason for the breathing problems.
-
The goals
of asthma therapy have not been
met after 3 to 6 months – may need an earlier referral if
symptoms don’t respond to asthma treatments.
-The
treatment plan is not working; any of the following asthma
symptoms are still happening:
-
Breathing
problems, like wheezing or coughing, don’t get better
after using asthma medications
-
Repeated
sinus infections
-
Trouble
breathing through the nose, nasal congestion, runny nose or
sneezing (even after taking medications)
-
“Choking”
feeling in the throat
-
Heartburn
or regurgitation after eating or at night
-
There is a
need for additional testing such as allergy, or
pulmonary function tests.
-
There is a
need for more education about asthma treatments or prevention
plans.
-
There is a
need, or a possible need, for allergy shots (immunotherapy).
-
Asthma is
classified as severe persistent with continual symptoms,
limited physical activity, frequent asthma attacks and current
medications don’t help.
-
Asthma can
only be controlled when on continuous corticosteroid tablet
treatments (oral anti-inflammatory medicine like prednisone)
or high-dose inhaled corticosteroids.
-
There have
been two asthma episodes in one year that have needed
corticosteroid tablets to regain control.
-
Child with
asthma is under the age of three and needs daily
anti-inflammatory medications.
-
There is a
possibility that the triggers for asthma are occupational (job
related) or environmental. Click
here to learn more
about work-related asthma.
Adapted
from the Guidelines
for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, National
Asthma Education and Prevention Program, National Institutes of
Health, 1997
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