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Preface | |
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Abbreviations | |
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Asthma: Facts, Theories, and Controversies | |
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provide the latest information about asthma, including: | |
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What is asthma? | |
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Why is asthma so common? | |
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How do human lungs work? | |
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What causes asthma? | |
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What is the relationship between allergy and asthma? | |
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What is the contemporary view of asthma and how does it differ from traditional views? | |
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Asthma: Symptoms and Diagnosis | |
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describe the symptoms of asthma and present common methods of diagnosis, such as: | |
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What are the symptoms of asthma? | |
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What is an exacerbation of asthma? | |
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Does wheezing mean that I have asthma? | |
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Are there medical conditions that can mimic asthma or make it more severe? | |
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How is the diagnosis of asthma established? | |
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What are pulmonary function tests (PFTs), spirometry, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements? | |
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Asthma: Classification and Variants | |
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introduce the NAEPP's approach to asthma care and review atypical forms of asthma, including: | |
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What is the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP)? | |
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What is cough-variant asthma? | |
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What is the asthmatic triad? | |
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What is occupational asthma? | |
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What is an asthma action plan? | |
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Why should I take asthma medicine if I feel fine? | |
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Asthma: Treatment Plans, Goals, and Strategies | |
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detail key components of asthma care that underlie effective treatment, such as: | |
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What are asthma triggers? | |
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What are the goals of asthma treatment? | |
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What makes a doctor an asthma specialist and how can I find out if my physician is a specialist in asthma care? | |
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Do I need to consult a physician who specializes in asthma? | |
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My asthma is active; how do I know whether I should go to the nearest hospital emergency room? | |
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Asthma: Inhaled Medications and Advances | |
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focus on the different medications used to treat asthma, with an emphasis on inhaled formulations: | |
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What medications are useful in treating asthma? | |
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Will I need to take asthma medicine forever? | |
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Why are so many asthma medicines in inhaler form? | |
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What is the correct way to use my dry-powder inhaler (DPI)? | |
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What is the correct way to use my metered-dose inhaler (MDI)? | |
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What are corticosteroids and how do they work in asthma? | |
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Asthma: A Healthy Lifestyle | |
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highlight day-to-day living with asthma, including: | |
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What are the newest approaches to the treatment of asthma? | |
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Can acupuncture or herbal remedies help my asthma? Will alternative or complementary medicine treatments be good for my asthma? | |
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My asthma seems to worsen each month around the time of my period. Is that possible? | |
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Is obesity related to asthma? | |
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What sports can persons with asthma participate in? | |
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Is asthma mostly a psychological disease? | |
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Special Topic: Asthma and Pregnancy | |
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answer the most common questions of women with asthma who become pregnant, such as: | |
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Will pregnancy make my asthma worse? | |
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Can I do anything special during my pregnancy to help protect my unborn child from developing asthma in the future? | |
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Are asthma medications harmful to the unborn child? | |
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Will I be able to breastfeed my baby if I am taking medicine for my asthma? | |
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Special Topic: Asthma in Children | |
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respond to everyday parental concerns when a child has asthma, for instance: | |
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Can I catch asthma from my child who has asthma? | |
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Do milk products cause increased mucus in persons who have asthma, especially children? | |
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Should I take my four-year-old to a physician who specializes in asthma? Can the primary care pediatrician diagnose and treat her asthma? | |
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Will my child outgrow his asthma? | |
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How can I help my son's school staff cope with his asthma and know how to handle an emergency? | |
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Our 10-year-old daughter who has asthma wants to go to sleep-away camp next summer. Should she attend a regular camp or a camp for children with asthma? | |
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Glossary | |
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Index | |