Nurses should ensure patients with asthma do not suffer, or the disease ruins their quality of life. Long-term asthma medications for the patient are essential for preventing asthma symptoms and potential attacks (American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 2023). The patient should take them daily as long-term control necessitates. The main options, also available for the patient, include inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, and long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs). The safety of inhaled corticosteroids makes them a highly effective option for long-term asthma control. Generally, health care providers recommend these control medications since they reduce airway inflammation to improve breathing. Besides, they improve asthma symptoms, which is critically needed for a better quality of life for the patient.
Quick-Relief Treatment Options
Effective asthma treatment requires health care providers to recommend treatment depending on the severity of the condition. Quick-relief options are necessary for intermittent asthma or at the first sign of the symptoms. They offer immediate relief, which the patient requires to continue with daily activities. Options for the patient include inhaled SABAs and anticholinergics. The American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (2023) categorize these options as bronchodilators since they expand air pathways into the lungs. Doing so improves breathing by allowing more free air movement into the lungs. Besides, quick-relief options clear mucus from the lungs, which can help the patient to breathe and cough better.
Potential Impacts of the Drugs
Both long-term control options and quick-relief treatments for asthma are effective depending on the severity of the condition. However, health care professionals should be wary of side effects of these medications and assess patients to assist them accordingly. For instance, the patient may experience headaches and nervousness when using SABAs. This necessitates a holistic evaluation of the condition to provide patient-centered care. Inhaled corticosteroids are associated with hoarseness, coughing problems, and oral thrush (Asthma Initiative of Michigan, 2023). Leukotriene modifiers may elevate liver enzymes levels while LABAs are linked with increased heart rate and occasional shakiness. As a result, health care providers should evaluate the possibility of these side effects through open communication with the patient and healthy interactions.
The Stepwise Approach to Asthma Treatment and Management
Like other health conditions, asthma treatment requires a patient-centered approach guided by symptoms, patients’ feelings, and health goals. In agreement with Papi et al. (2020), anti-inflammatory treatment is the cornerstone of asthma management, with the stepwise approach helping to meet the patients’ and health care providers’ goals. As the chart demonstrates, SABAs are recommended in the initial stages of asthma management for quick relief purposes. After that, asthma moves into long-term control steps where the patient should take daily medication. The dosage depends on the severity of the condition and, in most cases, requires a combination of different medications. The treatment may be adjusted as situations necessitate to ensure the best possible outcomes for the patient.
Assisting Health Care Providers and Patients
The stepwise approach enables health care providers and patients to collaborate for effective asthma control. As Wang et al. (2021) mentioned, the stepwise approach to asthma management is highly recommended since it leads to improved asthma control and helps care providers to prevent asthma exacerbations. The implication is that risk and potential impairment are significantly reduced since medication type and dosage are adjusted according to the patient needs. Risk reduction also reduces hospitalizations and emergency department visits, indicating health care providers’ ability to optimize the use of medications. The treatment through an iterative cycle of assessment and treatment adjustment further helps to maintain the patient’s normal activity and prevent troublesome symptoms. For improved outcomes, health care providers and patients should collaborate to ensure they work toward shared goals.
References
´American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. (2023). Medication. https://acaai.org/asthma/treatment/medication/
´Asthma Initiative of Michigan. (2023). Long term control medications used to treat asthma. https://getasthmahelp.org/ltc-medications
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