Biological treatments can end severe asthma

The severity of asthma is measured by disease severity, response to treatment, and extent necessary in the procedure to control symptoms. These are basically dry cough, shortness of breath or shortness of breath, wheezing or wheezing, and chest tightness. A patient presents with severe asthma when his symptoms manifest continuously several times a day and if he needs relief or rescue medication as a fast -acting bronchodilator. It also has frequent nocturnal symptoms, has a very limited activity, very reduced lung function and has two or more exacerbations (severe seizures requiring emergency treatment) per year.

Asthma only in spring, can it be considered severe asthma

The severity of asthma may vary over time, so it is necessary to reevaluate it periodically. It is a variable inflammatory disease. In the case of allergic asthma , if the patient is hypersensitive to pollen, it usually worsens in the corresponding pollen season. If it meets the above criteria, severe asthma should be considered, although after a few months the patient may be practically asymptomatic.

Biological treatment for severe asthma

A high percentage of patients with asthma are uncontrolled, even despite adequate treatment. Therefore, other treatments that are effective, safe and selective for the different phenotypes of asthma. Biological treatments are monoclonal antibodies against selective targets, which are obtained by recombinant DNA technology. Currently there are some available, although in a few years there will be more. The two currently available treatments in allergy are given in deep subcutaneous repeated doses for about five years. The first one has a variable dosage depending on the levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and the patient's weight, the second one is administered at a fixed monthly dose.

Candidates to undergo biological treatment for severe asthma

It is very important to determine the individual profile of pathophysiological changes predominant in each patient to prescribe the most appropriate treatment in each case. One of the treatments discussed above is indicated in the most purely allergic asthma in both adults and children from 6 years of age. The second is for adult patients with eosinophilic asthma, whether or not allergic. Both drugs are indicated for patients who do not respond adequately to treatment with anti- inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators , in patients with numerous crises, emergency care that require cycles of oral corticosteroids and absenteeism both work and school due to this disease. The main disadvantage of this modality of treatment is its high price, therefore the patient candidate for its administration must be very well selected.

Results of biological treatment for severe asthma

It is an effective treatment in patients who are well selected, significantly improving their quality of life, reducing their medication, emergency attendance and hospital admissions, which in the long term means a reduction in both direct and indirect costs And are associated with poorly controlled asthmatic disease.