Introduction: Difficult-to-control asthma: recognizing and overcoming barriers to asthma control

ABSTRACT

Despite the availability of numerous effective treatments for asthma, some patients with asthma do not respond to standard therapies and have asthma that is considered difficult to control. Numerous factors may contribute to the persistence of asthma symptoms, including misdiagnosis, suboptimal inhaler technique and poor adherence to therapy, inflammation of the distal airways, and poor response to therapy due to genetic variations in β₂-adrenergic receptors. The role of these factors in difficult-to-control asthma and methods to improve its management are the focuses of the articles contained in this supplement.

Key words::

• β₂-adrenergic receptors
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Distal airways
• Inhaler