Review of Asthma: Pathophysiology and Current Treatment Options

Asthma remains one of the leading chronic diseases in children and one of the leading reasons for emergency department visits. As our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology continues to improve, so does our armamentarium for the management of acute exacerbations. Combination therapy with multiple agents is showing promise especially for the child with a severe attack. In addition, there seems to be significant benefit in the implementation of inhaled corticosteroids at the time of emergency department discharge.