Asthma is a common chronic condition affecting the airways. It is becoming increasingly recognised by health care workers. Epidemiological studies suggest that, along with other atopic diseases, its prevalence is rising. Despite greater knowledge surrounding the origins of asthma and considerable advances in its management, it remains one of the most important chronic diseases in young Western adults and poses a significant degree of morbidity throughout all age groups. Complications of asthma contribute to significant costs for health care systems and are implicated in adversely affecting the quality of life of individuals and their families.

This book provides a compact, practical, evidence-based guide by which to offer the reader a useful update of the main clinical aspects of the overall syndrome of asthma. The reader is also provided with a series of real-life case scenarios involving problems encountered in the management of patients, along with numerous references and websites by which to access further material.