Guideline for the management of acute asthma in children: 2013 update

Emergency management in acute asthma in children

“…La corticothérapie est recommandée par voie systémique dans les exacerbations modérées à sévères, ou en l'absence de réponse au traitement initial par β2-agonistes (grade A) [3]. Certaines recommandations internationales l'indiquent pour les crises légères (grade B) [4,20]. Avec son expérience, l'équipe du centre de l'asthme préconise qu'elle devrait être envisagée dans les crises légères en présence de facteurs de risque d'asthme aigu grave (Tableau 1).…”

Acute asthma treatment guidelines: Reducing morbidity and mortality in South Africa

“…[11,12] These guidelines are designed to ensure best practices for the care of children or adults with acute asthma, and they also recommend implementation of long-term controller medication. The guidelines emphasise better utilisation of inhaled bronchodilators (beta-2-agonists and ipratropium bromide) and oxygen, and immediate administration of oral or intravenous corticosteroids.…”

“…The guidelines that appear in this edition of the SAMJ [11,12] are consistent with international guidelines for the treatment of acute asthma and have been simplified for ease of implementation in all healthcare settings in SA. While it is disappointing that no new or novel interventions have been developed for acute asthma, current treatment strategies are effective in the vast majority of patients, especially when initiated early in the asthma attack.…”

Editor's Choice

“…Two guidelines on the management of asthma, in adults and children, are offered as Parts 2 and 3 of this month's SAMJ, [9,10] with a contextual editorial from the country's leading physicians in the field. [11] JS…”