The study, conducted by Dr. Rajesh Balkrishnanand colleagues from Ohio State University, analyzed data from more than 800 million asthma-related doctor visits between 1998 and 2004 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
According to the researchers, the prescribing practices based on expert recommendations improved between 1998 and 2002 but began to decline after 2003. Treatment disparities were also evident based on age and race. The elderly and minorities were less likely prescribed the long-acting controller medications.
"Patients also were still being prescribed short-term symptom relief medications that are so outdated, they hardly even deserve to be prescribed anymore," Balkrishnan said. "The guidelines stress that patients who are asthmatic need to be on some type of controller medications. Just using symptomatic relief medications is not enough."
Current estimates say asthma affects about 22 million Americans. For all age groups, inhaled corticosteroids are considered the most effective long-term asthma control. Reliever medications that should be used for only acute symptoms include short-acting beta-agonists, anticholinergic agents, and systemic corticosteroids.
The research was featured in the latest issue of the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
