Asthma Bronchiale: Diagnosis, treatment, care

1. Big picture

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways with variable, usually reversible airflow obstruction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

In children, asthma is not just “wheezing.” The examiner wants you to think clinically:

Recurrent episodes of wheeze/cough/dyspnea
+ variable triggers
+ symptom-free or better periods
+ response to bronchodilator or inhaled corticosteroid
+ no better alternative diagnosis
= asthma likely

Asthma is common, potentially dangerous, but usually controllable. The aim is not only to stop acute attacks, but to achieve:

• no daytime symptoms or very rare symptoms;
• no night waking;
• normal activity and exercise;
• minimal reliever need;
• no severe exacerbations;
• normal growth and minimal drug adverse effects.

GINA 2026 emphasizes annually updated, evidence-based asthma strategy, and modern asthma care strongly discourages over-reliance on short-acting beta-2 agonist rescue therapy without anti-inflammatory control, especially in older children and adolescents. ([Global Initiative for Asthma - GINA][1])

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