It’s time once again for global asthma education and awareness, on World Asthma Day 2008.

World Asthma Day is a partnership between health care groups and asthma educators to raise awareness about asthma and improve asthma care throughout the world. Sponsored by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), the message is that even people with asthma can live a life without limits. The theme this year is “You Can Control Your Asthma.”

Asthma control is the main goal of asthma treatment. When asthma is under control, you can:

• Have a productive, physically active life. You can work and go to school. You can exercise and participate in normal physical activities.

• Avoid troublesome asthma symptoms day and night. Your day is not interrupted by breathing problems. You do not wake up at night or lose sleep because of asthma symptoms.

• Avoid most asthma attacks. Asthma attacks are very rare when asthma is under control.

• Use little or no fast-acting reliever or “rescue” medication.

• Have normal or near-normal lung function. Lung function can be monitored with an easy to use peak expiratory flow (PEF) meter.

• Avoid most side effects from treatment. Many options are available for asthma treatment. Your doctor can help you find the one that works best for you.

GINA goes on to outline 4 main strategies for achieving asthma control:

1. Develop patient/doctor partnership
2. Identify and reduce exposure to risk factors
3. Assess, treat, and monitor asthma
4. Manage asthma flares

A “step-wise” approach to asthma medicine enables the best approach to achieving control with the minimum amount of medicine needed.

Learn More:

• Explore World Asthma Day activities in your country
• About World Asthma Day
• About GINA