766 Asthma

It seems that asthma is both more common and more dangerous in the 21st century than at the turn of the 20th century. Asthma is now the most common chronic ailment among children in the United States, and the prevalence of the disease has been increasing rapidly.
Scientists know a great deal more about airway inflammation and doctors have many more drugs than can ease the symptoms. Why are people still dying of this disease?
Learn about the risks of one type of asthma drugs, long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) and why one expert suggests they should be avoided. Find out the best options for treating asthma in both children and adults.
Guests: David Peden, MD, MS, is Director of the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology. He is also chief of the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Environmental Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The photo is of Dr. Peden.
Shelley Salpeter, MD, FACP, is Clinical Professor of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and Director of Medical Consultation at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, CA. Her article appears in the April 2010 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
Sally Seymour, MD, is Deputy Director of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Rheumatology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. Podcasts can be downloaded for free for six weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.