ABSTRACT

Asthma is a common disease in both developed and developing countries, with a prevalence of 1% to 18% in different countries and approximately 300 million affected individuals worldwide (Bateman 2008). It is a frequent cause of emergent visits (offi ce, urgent care, ED). In the USA from 2001 through 2003, asthma accounted for, on an approximate annual basis, 4210 deaths, 504,000 hospitalizations and 1.8 million ED visits (Moorman et al. 2007). The annual rate of ED visits for asthma was 8.8 per 100 persons with current asthma. Rates were higher among children as opposed to adults (11.2 vs. 7.8 visits per 100 persons), among blacks compared to whites (21 vs. 7 visits per 100 persons), and among Hispanics than non-Hispanics (12.4 vs. 8.4 visits per 100 persons). Women made twice the number of ED visits as men (Moorman et al. 2007). Approximately 10% of visits result in hospitalization (Rowe et al. 2009).