ABSTRACT
The current consensus in the scientific medical community is that asthma
is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bronchial mucosa that may lead to basement membrane thickening, collagen deposition, and airway remodel-
ing. It is a disease characterized by airflow obstruction and bronchial hyper-
responsiveness. In 2002, the National Institutes of Health National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute revised the asthma guidelines (1). The revised guide-
lines recommend daily use of a low-dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) or an
alternative inhaled anti-inflammatory medication including cromolyn or a
leukotriene receptor antagonist for the management of mild persistent asthma
in children <5 years. For adults and children 5 years the recommendations include the additional alternative use of nedocromil or sustained-release
theophylline treatment for mild persistent asthma.
