Worldwide differences on the concept of control of asthma

Asthma is estimated to affect approximately 4—11% of the general population and its prevalence is increasing continuously. A large number of epidemiological studies on the prevalence of asthma and the level of disease control have been carried out, in which the level of control defined by GINA objectives was shown to be significantly unsatisfactory. Frequently, patients accept suboptimal levels of asthma control, mainly because they do not know how asthma is caused and how it can be treated. Apart from having a deep negative impact on patient's daily life, undiagnosed and undercontrolled asthma can also mean an increased economic burden. Therefore, greater attention should be paid to preventive measures, patient education and self-management programmes. Scientific evidence exists that drugs currently available can achieve all or almost all the objectives indicated by international guidelines in the majority of patients, and to improve patients' HRQL by minimizing the impact of the disease and its treatment from the patient's viewpoint. In conclusion, there is a gap between the level of control that could be reached and what is obtained in real life. This must be reduced through a series of interventions in which both doctor and patient are involved.