Health Professionals

Due to the complex nature of asthma, health care providers must be armed with the knowledge and skills to correctly diagnose, treat and teach their patients about how to manage their asthma.

4 Components of Asthma Care (According to the 2007 Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma):

1. Assessing and Monitoring Asthma Severity and Control
2. Education for a Partnership in Care - Asthma Action Plans
3. Control of Environmental Factors and Comorbid Conditions that Affect Asthma
4. Medications

Diagnosis of Asthma:

• Diagnosis of Asthma in Infants and Children Under Age 5
• Asthma Predictive Index (API), a guide to determining which small children will likely have asthma in later years (from EPR-3)
• Diagnosis and Classification of Asthma in Children 5 Over Years of Age and Adults

Classification and Management of Asthma:

• Classification and Management of Asthma in Infants and Children Under Age 5
• Classification and Management of Asthma in Children Age 5 to 11
• Managing Asthma in Children 12 Years of Age and Adults

Pregnancy:
Managing asthma during pregnancy can be challenging.

Seniors:
Asthma is a very common problem among older people. Diseases and medications not seen in other age groups, though, can complicate diagnosing and treating seniors for asthma.

Asthma Action Plans:
An Asthma Action/Management Plan is an important part of each patient's treatment plan. Learn about the plan, and get copies to fill out with your patients.

Guidelines:
There are several guidelines for the treatment and management of asthma that help health care providers correctly diagnose and treat the disease. Review the national and international guidelines that can help you take better care of your patients with asthma.

Patient Education Materials:
Need information in easy-to-understand terms? Find material for all age groups, on all aspects of asthma. To find more asthma education materials, contact your local asthma coalition, or visit Allies Against Asthma.

Need a tool to help you decide if your patient education material is right for your clientele? The AIM Patient Education Material Assessment Tool can help. You may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.

Michigan Asthma Resource Kit (MARK):
The MARK is a terrific resource for physicians and their staff, containing both professional and patient information that can make treating patients with asthma much easier.

Medications:
An important part of any patient's treatment plan is medications. Find out all about long term controllers, quick-relief medications, delivery devices and other medication issues.

Alternative Treatments:
Many patients are asking about or using alternative treatments for asthma. Learn about herbal remedies and other common ones, and how to advise your patients to spot quackery.

MI Asthma Statistics:
Find out many different statistics about asthma in Michigan.

Asthma Links & Resources:
Need more information about asthma? Find links to other asthma organizations.

Asthma Reports:
Find Michigan's Blueprint for Action and the Annual Reports on Asthma: Deaths Among Individuals Aged 2-34 Years in Michigan .

Pulmonary Function Tests:
Learn about how these tests can help diagnose asthma, and what to tell patients about having them.

Risk Factors for Serious Asthma Events:
Need to know if your patient is at a higher risk for serious asthma attacks or death? Here is a discussion on asthma mortality and asthma risk factors.