Asthma is increasingly recognised as a heterogeneous disease, with several phenotypes defined by clinical and inflammatory characteristics. Common phenotypes include allergic (eosinophilic, IgE-mediated), non-allergic (often neutrophilic or paucigranulocytic), late-onset adult asthma, obesity-associated asthma, and asthma with persistent airflow limitation.14 Identifying phenotypes supports individualised treatment strategies, particularly in those with severe asthma, and better long-term outcomes.
Steps 2 and 3: Maintenance and reliever therapy (MART)
Comorbid conditions can complicate asthma management. Assess for and help address factors such as allergic rhinitis, which affects up to 80% of people with asthma,24 as well as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), anxiety, depression, obstructive sleep apnoea and smoking.
‘Devastating’ volume of clinical waste generates concern
As environmental threats become increasingly pressing, healthcare professionals are calling for changes in the way clinical waste is managed in medical settings.
In a recent...
Q&A: My Health Record and discharge summaries
How do I comply with My Health Record guidelines when accessing a patient’s MHR to review a discharge summary?
Pharmacists play a key role in cow’s milk allergy diagnosis
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For many parents, the journey towards diagnosis of cow’s milk allergy in their baby is a long and difficult one. It is...
Realising pharmacists’ full potential
We are working to achieve the 11 key actions in Pharmacists in 2023 to unlock opportunities for pharmacists as the custodians of medicine safety.
I was...
How pharmacists can make a difference in aged care
Significant levels of ‘high-risk’ medications in Australian aged care facilities provide an area of need for future roles for pharmacists, the PSA19 conference was...
