Allergy & Asthma Center, PC

Welcome

Allergy & Asthma Center, P.C., is an allergy practice based in Eugene, Corvallis, and Roseburg, Oregon.

Our practice includes allergists:

and nurse practitioner:

Appointments are available in the following locations in Oregon:

An allergist is a physician trained to diagnose, treat, and manage asthma and allergies, whether they are related to or caused by foods, environmental factors (such as pollen), drugs, or topical substances. Conditions that an allergist commonly treats include the following:

Important information regarding Insurance Coverage for Allergy and Asthma Care

 

For your information, each month we feature a topic of interest to our readers. Please read our currenty Topic of the Month below. To read previous articles that we have featured, please visit our Topic of the Month page.

September 2010 Topic of the Month

Confused about Your Asthma Medications?
Take the "Stepwise" Approach

For many asthma sufferers, recent safety issues raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have generated confusion and concern. 

In February 2010, the FDA announced that based on their analyses of clinical trials, the use of long-acting beta agonists (LABAs) is associated with an increased risk of severe worsening of asthma symptoms, leading to hospitalizations in both children and adults and death in some patients with asthma. The AAAAI agrees with the FDA recommendation that LABAs never be used as sole therapy for asthma. The FDA has also urged patients to "step down" from LABAs once symptoms are under control. This statement may not be consistent with your physician's approach to treatment managing your asthma. 

The Facts
LABAs are long-term controller medications, typically taken on a daily basis. When prescribed in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), these medications can be very effective in controlling airway inflammation and treating frequent asthma symptoms. 

In treating your condition, your allergist/immunologist is most likely following the 2007 National Asthma Education and Prevention Program's (NAEPP) EPR-3 guidelines. Achieving and maintaining control of your symptoms is at the core of these guidelines. 

When asthma is diagnosed, the recommended course of action is to use a stepwise approach to treatment. This calls for "stepping up" the use of long-term controller medications until your symptoms are controlled. Once this is achieved, your physician should monitor your symptoms and medication to assure control remains stable. 

Step down therapy identifies the minimum amount of medication necessary to maintain control of symptoms. Unlike the FDA's recent recommendation that all patients should step down from the LABA upon achieving control, the EPR-3 guidelines outline a set of parameters for physicians to use when considering "stepping down" a patient's medication, and does not advocate discontinuing LABA as the first step. 

The Question
When is the right time to begin "stepping down" your medications? That depends on each individual case. Prescribing the minimum amount of medication necessary should be a goal in treating any chronic disease. Yet this must be balanced against the risks of potential adverse consequences, such as severe or life-threatening asthma exacerbations. 

Our Advice
If you are concerned about your medications, talk to your allergist/immunologist about your treatment plan. By closely monitoring your condition, you and your physician can ensure that your asthma does not interfere with your daily life. 

DID YOU KNOW?

 

Reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology

 

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