Allergist Purvi Parikh provides insights on why people with asthma should get a flu shot. She also provides information about the pneumonia vaccine.
Severe Asthma News & Updates
OCS Overexposed: Thinking Beyond the Burst
Learn about OCS Overexposed: a new awareness campaign to help people understand the risks of long-term steroid use to treat asthma.
Ask the Allergist: Stress Relief and Asthma Control
Dr. Purvi Parikh answers the Ask the Allergist question: What is the role of stress in asthma, and what are some stress-relieving measures people can use?
Type 2 Inflammation – Severe Asthma & Co-Morbidities
July 1, 2019
Learn about the new monoclonial antibody treatments available for Type 2 asthma and other forms of severe asthma.
Allergy & Asthma Network and Severe Asthma Foundation Come Together to Raise Awareness of Severe Asthma
The Allergy & Asthma Network and Severe Asthma Foundation announce a merger to greater benefit those with severe asthma.
‘We Called Him Itty’ – But He Had Big Dreams
Izaiah Fiedler tragically died from suicide whilte on montelukast for asthma. His family now advocates for improved asthma care and suicide prevention.
‘The Balancing Act’ Video: Prevalence of Severe Asthma
In a new “The Balancing Act” segment for Lifetime TV, Tonya Winders, Allergy & Asthma Network...
Pediatric Asthma Yardstick – Severe Asthma in Children
September 12, 2018
This webinar covered new additions to step therapy for asthma in children; asthma control tests; and the role of new biologics for children with asthma.
Ask the Allergist: Severe Asthma Know-How
Dr. Purvi Parikh answers the Ask the Allergist question: how does a severe asthma patient know if their symptoms are well controlled?
Pediatric Asthma Yardstick: Step-Up Care for Children
Asthma often begins in early childhood – but diagnosing the condition in the very young can be...
What Severe Asthma Looks Like
When you have a severe, difficult-to-control asthma flare, you can be in severe distress. Here's a...
Steroid Overuse in Severe Asthma
May 18, 2018
This webinar covered oral steroids – what they are; the problems with long-term use of oral steroids; and other treatment options.
All About
Severe Asthma News & Updates
If you are unable to control asthma with all types of treatment, you may have severe asthma. It’s estimated 5-10% of people with asthma have severe asthma. These patients often experience high rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
Severe asthma must be carefully monitored since symptoms could be life-threatening if ignored. If your symptoms worsen, you have a flare-up during everyday activities, or your symptoms don’t respond to a quick-relief inhaler, prompt medical treatment is necessary.
Severe asthma may call for a higher dosage of inhaled corticosteroids or long-term oral corticosteroids. If symptoms continue to not respond, then biologics are the next step. These medications target cells and pathways that cause allergic inflammation. They reduce inflammation and calm the immune system.
Your treatment plan may also include lifestyle changes, including:
- Avoiding triggers (including allergens)
- Avoiding smoking (including secondhand smoke)
- Losing weight if needed
- Doing breathing exercises
- Managing or reducing stress
The goal of asthma treatment is to manage and control symptoms so you can live life to the fullest. Regular appointments with your doctor and updating your Asthma Action Plan as needed are vital to effective asthma management.
See our full article on Severe Asthma.