Need to know:

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition that affects more than 250 million individuals worldwide.¹ Despite significant advances in our understanding of this condition over the past 30 years, asthma-related morbidity is common, and preventable hospital admissions and deaths still occur.

Asthma care can be delivered by a wide variety of clinicians — including adult and paediatric respiratory physicians and immunologists, nurses and allied health practitioners — although the primary care practitioner occupies the central and most critical role in diagnosis and management. 

Asthma is an inflammatory condition characterised by variable airflow limitation accompanied by typical symptoms of wheeze, breathlessness, cough and chest tightness.² These features are often episodic and occur in response to triggers, such as inhaled allergens, viral infections, exercise, and certain medications such as beta blockers and NSAIDs.