In December 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced 19 recommendations in six key areas of asthma diagnosis, management and treatment. These six areas are:
1. Use of inhaled steroids when needed for recurring wheezing and persistent asthma
2. When to use long-acting bronchodilators instead of long-acting muscarinic antagonists
3. Use of allergy shots for treating some people with allergic asthma
4. Use of multiple methods to cut down exposure to indoor asthma triggers
5. Testing for nitric oxide exhaled from the lungs for difficult-to-diagnose asthma cases. The gas shows an increase in the presence of inflammation
6. Use of a minimally invasive surgical procedure known as bronchial thermoplasty to help treat some adults with uncontrolled, moderate to severe, persistent asthma

These guidelines are provided to improve the health of those with asthma (reducing asthma attacks and reducing lifetime exposure to corticosteroids) and by improving clinical care through scientific-based information for health care providers, so shared decision making can happen for optimal health.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Director Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., says, “NHLBI’s goal is to ensure that care for all individuals living with asthma is optimal, equitable, and based on the best available evidence. These updates to the guidelines are intended to support informed, shared decision making between patients and their providers, so that people living with this chronic condition can lead full and active lives.”

Resources:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
American Lung Association