Asthma
Around 5.4 million people in the UK receive treatment for asthma. The joint BTS/NICE/SIGN 2024 guideline fundamentally changed first-line therapy.
- ≈ 5.4m
people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma.
- AIR / MART
anti-inflammatory reliever / maintenance + reliever therapy now first-line.
Source: NICE NG245, 2024
Goodbye SABA-only
The 2024 joint BTS/NICE/SIGN guideline (NG245) replaces short-acting beta-agonist (SABA)–only treatment with a combination inhaled corticosteroid + formoterol (ICS/formoterol) used either as needed (AIR) or as maintenance + reliever therapy (MART). This reflects evidence that SABA-only use is associated with higher mortality.[2]NICE NG245
Why asthma still kills
The RCP's National Review of Asthma Deaths found that two-thirds of UK asthma deaths were associated with avoidable factors, particularly over-reliance on relievers and under-use of preventers.[4]RCP NRAD
- [1] NHS. Asthma — overview · 2024
- [2] NICE / BTS / SIGN. Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management — NG245 · 2024
- [3] Asthma + Lung UK. Asthma statistics · 2024
- [4] Royal College of Physicians. National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) · 2014