 |
|
|
National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Expert Panel Report 3:
Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program released the newest version of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma: Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3) in September 2007. These Guidelines update the 1991 Expert Panel Report-2 and incorporate the most recent scientific information available on the care of patients with asthma. The literature review and guidelines are organized around four components of asthma care: assessment and monitoring, patient education, control of factors contributing to asthma severity, and pharmacologic treatment.
One of the key differences from previous versions is that the stepwise asthma management charts have been revised and expanded to specify treatment for three age groups: 0-4 years, 5-11 years, and 12 years and older. The 5-11 year-old group was added based on new evidence on medications for this age group as well as emerging evidence suggesting that children may respond differently than adults to asthma medications. EPR-3 reaffirms that patients with persistent asthma need both long-term control medications and quick relief medications. EPR-3 also reaffirms that inhaled corticosteroids are the most effective long-term control medication across all age groups. The NIH Guidelines are discussed in the February 29, 2000 issue of the CD Summary. (pdf) (55 K). (This issue includes the discussion and treatment guide). For your easy reference, we've distilled some of the most critical information from the Guidelines into a Treatment Guide in table format.
You can download a full set of the Guidelines from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's website at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm. Please Note: Both the full text of the Guidelines and our Treatment Guide are general guidelines to assist in clinical decision-making, and are not intended to be a specific prescription for individual patients. |
|
