A new checklist helping GPs assess why a patient’s asthma remains uncontrolled could reduce the death toll from the condition, experts say
A new checklist helping GPs assess why a patient’s asthma remains uncontrolled could reduce the death toll from the condition, experts say.
The resource, developed by the National Asthma Council (NAC) with an educational grant from AstraZeneca, acts as a guide to identify severe asthma that is not well controlled despite the highest level of treatment.
By following the five steps outlined on the Severe Asthma Checklist, GPs can consider common issues in severe asthma, including adherence, inhaler technique, comorbidities, triggers and potential overuse of SABAs.
The resource, hoping to make GP consults with asthma patients more streamlined, brings together the guidance from the Australian Asthma Handbook and the Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Severe Asthma information. Dr Ian Almond, a GP and spokesperson for the NAC, said he hoped the checklist would help identify at an early stage the 3% to 10% of severe asthma sufferers whose condition remained uncontrolled.
“With uncontrolled asthma, you hope you can get enough information using the checklist to change their treatment, or diagnosis, or to make sure they are using the treatment in an optimal fashion,” Dr Almond said.
“If it’s just uncontrolled asthma, then you will probably be able to get on top of it using the checklist but if you can’t, then you would need to consider referral.
“It will then enable GPs to invoke the specialist opinion at a fairly early stage for a patient who may respond to monoclonal antibodies,” he said.
The ultimate goal for practitioners when using the checklist was to be able to provide every asthma patient with an individualised action plan and update that annually or whenever treatment changed.
The NAC checklist coincides with recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics which shows a significant drop in the number of asthma-related deaths.
There were 389 asthma-related deaths in 2018, a decrease from 441 in 2017 and 457 in 2016.
Dr Almond said those aged 75 and over accounted for nearly two-thirds of all deaths, while deaths in children remained less common, with seven paediatric deaths last year.
“The reason for the downward trend is not exactly clear, but we would expect that it is because people are getting better medication and are being better monitored and managed,” he said.
In addition, the 2017 Victorian thunderstorm asthmas event, which claimed the lives of 10 people and hospitalised thousands, triggered interest for patients to get their condition properly managed, Dr Almond said.
The Severe Asthma Checklist can be found online at bit.ly/2MgOb7Z
