Treating Mild Asthma -- When Are Inhaled Steroids Indicated?

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Abstract
Asthma affects nearly 1 in 15 people in the United States and Europe. Although the cause or causes of asthma remain unknown, its pathophysiology has been well enough characterized to allow the development of two major classes of drugs for treatment -- bronchodilators and antiinflammatory agents. In regard to the latter class, we know that corticosteroids, which have an unspecified antiinflammatory action, provide effective treatment. This appreciation has led, somewhat tautologically, to the concept that controlling airway inflammation, which is present even in patients with mild asthma,13 is an important therapeutic goal4. Indeed, guidelines for the treatment of . . .