• Government
• Profession
• Business
• Opinion
• Health

• Health reform
• H1N1
• P4P
• EMRs
• Medicare
• Liability
• AMA House
• » More

• Book Excerpt
• Business Pitch
• Meetings
• » More

• Contract Language
• Ethics Forum
• In the Courts
• Practice Management
• Technically Speaking
• » More

• Issue dates
• Regions
• Health plans
• Sections
• News briefs
• Columns
• Editorials
• Letters
• Writers
• Other years

• Search tips
• E-mail alert
• Radio
• RSS
• Mobile
• Subscribe
• Institutions
• Staff directory
• Advertising
• Permissions
• Reprints
• News media
• Site guide
• Useful links
• About
• Premium
• Contact

Managing asthma takes physician diligence

The aggressive treatment of asthma with anti-inflammatories is sometimes overlooked.

By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. June 11, 2001.

• PRINT|
• E-MAIL|
• RESPOND|
• REPRINTS|
• SHARE

Washington -- The seriousness of asthma can go unrecognized.

This became alarmingly clear in a Washington, D.C., courtroom in April when a 54-year-old man, appearing for a misdemeanor hearing, collapsed and died following an asthma attack, despite telling a judge, lawyers and nurse that he was unable to breathe.

This event serves as a reminder this chronic illness is not always recognized as the life-threatening disease that it can be.

The incidence of asthma in this country has increased dramatically in recent years, yet many patients, and even some physicians, fail to take the disease as seriously as they should, according to a new report.

"Asthma is an extremely common problem that has been neglected for a number of years," said E. Regis McFadden Jr., MD, professor of medicine and the program director of the General Clinic Research Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.

Dr. McFadden spoke at a press conference on Capitol Hill May 9 to unveil the report "Asthma: Separating Facts from Fiction," released by the Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy, a nonprofit organization located in Annapolis, Md.

The report was prepared from discussions held at the center by a group of physicians and scientists knowledgeable about the disease.

"Asthma is a chronic illness with enormous amounts of morbidity," said Dr. McFadden, who participated in the discussions. But the disease can be very manageable if the proper treatment guidelines are followed, said the center's president and chair, Harold M. Koenig, MD. [...]