"Asthma is not an event, it is a chronic disease that can be managed so that symptoms are controlled and severe attacks are prevented," said Michael B. Foggs, M.D chief of asthma, allergy and immunology, Advocate Health Care, Chicago. "The guidelines underscore the fact that people who are diagnosed with asthma do not have to suffer breathing difficulties or cut back on their activities. We want to make this a reality for all asthma patients."

Asthma occurs when the linings of the airways become inflamed and swollen and muscle spasms constrict airflow to the lungs. An "asthma attack" is characterized by labored or restricted breathing, a tight feeling in the chest, coughing and wheezing. The condition can develop quickly and may vary in severity from mild discomfort to life-threatening attacks in which breathing stops altogether. Each year, nearly 4,000 asthma deaths occur in the United States and the disease accounts for a half million hospitalizations, most of which can be prevented with appropriate care.

According to the NAEPP report, under-diagnosis and inadequate treatment are significant contributors to poor asthma control and the worsening of asthma severity. The new guidelines, the first major update in a decade, include the latest information on the best way to manage the chronic disease. Highlights include emphasis on ongoing monitoring and management of asthma, routine use of inhaled corticosteroids as the standard of care for most patients with chronic persistent asthma, distinguishing between managing acute and chronic asthma, and the identification of new risk factors for the disease.