- Patients should continue to take their inhaled medication as prescribed by their physicians.
- If a patient presents an acute asthma attack :
- He/she should take a short course of oral corticosteroids as instructed by their doctor ;
- Nebulisers should be avoided due to the increased risk of viral transmission ;
- Pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) via a spacer is the preferred treatment if the attacks is severe.
- Long term OCS treatment for severe asthma should be taken at the lowest dose possible. Biologic therapies should be considered to limit the use OCS when possible.
- Maintenance inhalers should be continued during a severe attack
- Routine checkups that are not urgent (e.g. spirometry testing) should be suspended.
The data comes from 2 sources. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology both present information on the management of patients with asthma during the pandemic.
Sources :
- Unknown authors. (March 25, 2020). COVID-19: Gina Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on Asthma Management. Global Initiative for Asthma. https://ginasthma.org/covid-19-gina-answers-to-frequently-asked-questions-on-asthma-management/.
- Unknown authors. (March 12, 2020). COVID-19 and Asthma, Allergy, and Immune Deficiency Patients. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology statement. https://college.acaai.org/acaai-statement-covid-19-and-asthma-allergy-and-immune-deficiency-patients-3-12-20 .