Asthma and self-management In summary | In detail Health outcomes improve in asthmatics involved in self-care management programmes. Even though many asthmatics conscientiously take their asthma medication, and strictly follow their doctor's directions, some would like to know if there is anything else that they could do to get the best possible results. There are self-management education programmes that may help them. new asthma research new asthma research These programmes normally consists of a written care plan that allows asthmatics to take control of their own medication, based on the personal evaluation of their symptoms and lung function. The Cochrane Airway Group published an article in the Cochrane Library on joint management of asthma by both the doctor and the patient. The researchers examined 25 articles on this subject. Twenty-two of these compared asthmatics given self-management asthma pictures new asthma research education on top of regular doctor care to those with regular doctor care only. The researchers found that when patients were involved in their own care, they did not have to be hospitalised as often, made fewer unscheduled visits to the emergency department or the doctor, took fewer days off from work and had fewer asthma attacks at night. In general, lung function did not change, but breeds of dogs asthma new asthma research those patients who had a personal written plan to guide them in making changes in their medication did have better lung function than those whose medications were adjusted by a doctor. The authors concluded that patients involved in managing their own asthma did have better health outcomes. They had fewer asthma symptoms and attacks. The best results came when the training for asthma self-management included a written cough asthma new asthma research plan of action.
