Difficult-to-manage asthma

Asthma affects over 5% of the US population and, by some estimates, as many as 17 million people. For about 5% of these adults and 10% of these children, the disease is classified as “severe” or “difficult to manage”. Difficult-to-manage asthma is defined as asthma symptoms that continue to occur despite high doses of the recommended medications, including inhaled corticosteroids. Among all patients with asthma, individuals with difficult-to-manage asthma have the highest risk for death, the highest rate of hospitalization and use of medical facilities, and the highest absenteeism from school or work.