“We know that most asthmatics – more than half, actually – do
not take their asthma medication properly, and that is leaving
their condition uncontrolled and increasing their risk for an ER
visit due to an asthma attack,” says Paul Reyes, Express Scripts
pharmacist and host of the Ask the Pharmacist radio series. “The
biggest mistake asthma patients make is stopping their therapy
when they feel better, not realizing that their condition will
worsen if they don’t use their mediation as prescribed.” Asthma
is a chronic condition caused by inflammation in the airways and
lungs that makes it difficult to breathe. Asthma causes
recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of
breath and coughing, which often occurs at night or early in the
morning. Many factors can inflame an asthma patient’s airways,
including infections, pollutants, weather changes and external
allergens such as pollen, pet dander, cigarette smoke or dust
mites. Studies show that 70 to 80 percent of asthma patients
have seasonal alle