Asthma is a problem with the airways or tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. Different things in the air can easily irritate and swell up the airways of people with asthma, making it hard to breathe. Symptoms may include cough, wheezing, and chest tightness.

Asthma, an inflammatory disease of the airways, affects more than 22 million Americans, six million of them children. Asthma is one of the few chronic diseases to affect large numbers of both adults and children. Washington state has one of the highest rates of asthma in the country, with almost 1 in 10 Washingtonians suffering from asthma. Source: Washington State Department of Health

The total cost of asthma in the United States is estimated to be more than $16 billion dollars per year, including health care costs and the costs of lost productivity at work and at home.

Patients and Caregivers

• Know the basics about asthma, including what "triggers" cause an asthma attack, how you can avoid them, and what to do when you have an attack.
• Work with doctors and other health care providers to develop a written asthma action plan regarding your treatment and how you can control symptoms and manage problems.
• Learn about your asthma medicines.
• Make healthy food choices.
• Stop smoking.

Doctors and Other Health Care Professionals

• Use a patient registry to track care for all of your patients with asthma.
• Incorporate patient education into each asthma care visit. Help your patients learn about triggers (such as smoking), medications, peak flow meters and inhalers.
• Develop a written asthma action plan with your patients to help them control symptoms and manage problems.
• Offer your patients group education sessions about asthma with health educators.
• Use office-based spirometry in the initial asthma severity assessment and in follow-up to assess the level of control.

Employers and Other Health Care Purchasers

• Provide health benefits that include low- or no co-payments for necessary medications, peak flow meters and inhalers for employees and their dependents with asthma.
• Help employees identify and avoid asthma triggers in the workplace.

Health Plans

• Ensure benefits include low or no co-payments for necessary medications, peak flow meters and inhalers for members with asthma.
• Provide coverage for nurse visits, educational group sessions, home visits and other educational opportunities for your members with asthma.
• Provide online tools for members with asthma, including education and self-management support.

American Lung Association of Washington
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
US Environmental Protection Agency
Puget Sound Health Alliance Clinical Improvement Team Report on Asthma