Day :
Keynote Forum
Bimal Roy Krishna
Professor and Director of Pharmacology
Keynote: Current Guidelines for the Management of Asthma
Time : 10:00 to 10:40 AM
Biography:
Dr. Krishna is currently Professor and Director of Pharmacology at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro University in Nevada. He obtained a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honors) in Pharmacology and Physiology and a Doctor of Philosophy, Medicine (OB/GYN/Pharmacology) from Monash University in Australia. Dr. Krishna also teaches for the Step 1 USMLE and COMLEX reviews for Kaplan Medical throughout the United States and in UAE, Europe, Saudi Arabia, India, Mexico and the Caribbean. He has been teaching online for Kaplan University for over 7 years and is the contributing author for Kaplan Medical’s Pharmacology Review Book. He has contributed to numerous publications and is a member of a number of organizations including Fellow-American College of Clinical Pharmacology.
Abstract:
Asthma is considered to be primarily an inflammatory disorder with secondary
bronchoconstriction. Patient manifestations usually are shortness of breath, wheezing, cough
and chest tightness. The intensity may vary over time and become exacerbated with external
factors that further irritate the airway. While bronchial hyperactivity and airway inflammation may likely be present they are not the only factors that determine diagnosis. Identification of external and other factors that exacerbate asthma is crucial and smoking is also a modifiable factor High risk patients including geriatric and pediatric patients may require more aggressive treatment. .
The long term goals of management are to achieve long term symptomatic relief which may
include the use of prophylactic agents. Management of asthma initially supported the use of a
short acting bronchodilator and prophylactic management where deemed necessary.
The categories of asthma medications include controller, reliever, prophylactic and add-on
Medications Effective 2019 the GINA guidelines no longer support the use of short acting bronchodilators as preferred initial therapy. Preferential therapy now favors the use of inhaled corticosteroids with a short acting bronchodilator. A step-up approach is initiated when necessary, which includes dosage adjustment of inhaled corticosteroids with bronchodilators and eventually to
include adjunct medications and monoclonals. This presentation outlines the pathogenesis of asthma, patient presentation and diagnosis and
current treatment guidelines