Return to Course Listing

CME: Asthma and allergic asthma: personalizing treatment to the patient and therapeutic updates

ACCREDITATION EXPIRED: July 01, 2016

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online CME self-learning program:

 

Asthma is a common disorder of the airways that is complex and characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, airflow obstruction, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and an underlying inflammation, and it affects 23 to 25 million people in the United States including 7 million children. The prevalence of asthma has increased significantly during the past decades in the United States. Development of asthma and its attendant symptoms may be related to any number of factors, including innate immunity, family history and genetics, and degree of environmental allergen exposure. Common triggers include: allergen-induced, asthma induced by aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, atopic dermatitis, stress, and exercise. In aggregate, the annual costs attributed to asthma in the U.S. are between $18 and $56 billion.

 

There are several barriers to appropriate self-management of asthma. A large gap in care that could be remedied by continuing education programming is poor patient education. A patient’s lack of understanding of the disorder, monitoring parameters, and its treatment management is a significant barrier; as a result, they may under- or over-treat. Failure to follow a treatment plan and poor administration of rescue bronchodilators inhalers can lead to needless increase in cost in asthma management. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that less half of asthma patients have been taught to avoid triggers, and of those who have been educated, less than half fail to adhere to the clinical education they have received. One group of researchers concluded that “it is likely that asthma disparities can be improved, in part, by improving patient/provider communication,” underscoring the potential that remains for healthcare professionals to continue bridging these remaining gaps and justifying continuing education programming.

 

Agenda

 

Introduction, Disclosures

Definition and epidemiology of and risk factors for asthma and allergic asthma

•          Statistics – snapshots and trends

•          Racial/ethnic disparities

Clinical features and pathophysiology of asthma and allergic asthma: a brief review

•          The common pathophysiology: airway remodeling, inflammation, and hyper-responsiveness

•          Onset, pediatric vs. adult

•          Comorbidities and risk factors

•          Severity

•          Allergic asthma vs. non-

•          Updates in treatment: updates in the medical literature and emerging therapies

•          Brief review of guidelines the role of corticosteroids including the role of small particle/molecule formulations

•          The role of long-acting beta-2 agonists and their related FDA warnings and guidance

•          Next steps: difficult-to-control cases

•          Immunotherapy in allergic asthma

•          Evolution in care: emerging therapies on the horizon

•          Best practice: putting it all together

Personalizing care: barriers to therapy

•          Race and ethnicity

•          Socioeconomic status, geographical setting, and access to care

•          Strategies to address above barriers

Personalizing care: review of best practices in patient education

•          Root causes of non-adherence

•          Technology and techniques for improving adherence

•          The emphasis on technique; spacer devices and beyond

•          Tracking outcomes: success and less

Summary

Target Audience:

Healthcare professionals including: allergists, pulmonologists, immunologists, primary care physicians, and any other healthcare professionals who commonly come into clinical contact with patients with asthma.

---

This program is supported by an educational grants from Novartis, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, and MEDA Pharmaceuticals.

---

Release Date: July 01, 2014 -- Expiration Date: July 01, 2016

Faculty: Stanley Schwartz,

Agenda

Learning Objectives

Accreditation

Faculty Disclosure and Resolution of COI

Instructions

System Requirements