Asma y embarazo: fisiopatología, diagnóstico y manejo farmacológico

Bronchial asthma is considered one of the most common chronic pathologies in pregnancy, affecting between 6 to 10% of pregnant women according to international reports. In this group of patients, approximately one third will present a significant aggravation in asthma symptoms, exposing the mother and fetus to a high risk of exacerbations and use of systemic corticosteroids. Poor control of asthma symptoms is in many cases due to suspension or suboptimal therapy with inhaled corticosteroid, which constitutes the basis of anti-inflammatory and controller therapy in asthma. It has been shown that poorly controlled asthma during pregnancy increases the risk of obstetric complications. The respiratory management of these patients must be proactive, patient education based and with informed use of anti-asthmatic treatments, which are highly effective and, for most patients, easily accessible. This article will review the pathophysiology, diagnosis and pharmacological management of asthma in pregnancy.