Therapeutic Strategies in Asthma: Current Treatments

As the incidence of asthma in the adult population continues to increase, and the age of onset in children to decrease, this condition remains a primary concern not only for specialists in respiratory medicine, but also for physicians in many other fields, when dealing with the asthmatic patient. The range of therapeutic agents now available, and the diversity of targets on which they act, presents the doctor with a variety of options for managing the condition. In this volume, leading international authorities explain the mechanisms of action of the drugs currently in use, and their clinical applications, singly and in combination. "Asthma: Current Treatments" provides physicians with a comprehensive resource that will help them evaluate for themselves the right approach for each of their patients. It will also be of interest to other health professionals involved in the care of patients being treated for this condition. Contents......Page 4 Editors and Contributors......Page 6 Preface......Page 9 Section I: First line anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator drugs......Page 11 1. Novel mechanistic aspects of glucocorticosteroids in relation to asthma therapy......Page 12 2. Benefit–risk assessment of long-acting β-adrenergic and ultra long-acting β-adrenergic agonists ......Page 28 3. Non-bronchodilator activities of β2-agonists ......Page 42 4.The pros and cons of combination therapy......Page 57 Section II: Novel approaches to bronchodilation......Page 68 5. Controversies surrounding antileukotrienes......Page 69 6. The role of phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors in asthma......Page 77 7. Anticholinergic agents in asthma......Page 89 Section III: Immunomodulation......Page 101 8. Anti-IgE monoclonal antibody: a new era in the treatment of allergic asthma?......Page 102 9. New frontiers in allergen immunotherapy for asthma......Page 116 10. Role of CpG DNA in asthma......Page 122 11. Putative role of antimicrobial activity in the treatment of asthma......Page 134 Section IV: Subphenotype centred therapy......Page 152 12. What is new in the management of acute asthma?......Page 153 13. Airway disease, inflammometry and individualized treatment......Page 167 14. Determinants of therapeutic response in asthma: cigarette smoking......Page 177 Abbreviations......Page 191 Index......Page 195 As the incidence of asthma in the adult population continues to increase, and the age of onset in children to decrease, this condition remains a primary concern. This work explains the mechanisms of action of the drugs in use, and their clinical applications, singly and in combination.