Stuart W. Stoloff, MD Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Nevada—Reno
Dr. Stoloff served on the panel that issued the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
Dr. Stoloff discloses that he serves as a consultant to Adelphi Publishing, Alcon, AstraZeneca LP, Dey, Dyson, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co., Novartis, Pfizer, Schering-Plough, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. He is on the speakers’ bureau of Alcon, AstraZeneca LP, Dey, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Schering-Plough, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.
Dr. Stoloff received writing assistance from Cynthia Gobbel, PhD, at Scientific Connexions, Newtown, PA, funded by AstraZeneca LP.
The EPR-3 recommends the integration of patient education into all aspects of asthma care. To forge an active partnership, identify and address concerns about the condition and its treatment and involve the patient and family in developing treatment goals and making treatment decisions. If the patient is old enough, encourage self-monitoring and management.
The EPR-3 recommends that physicians give every patient a written asthma action plan that addresses individual symptoms and/or PEF measurements and includes instructions for self-management. Daily PEF monitoring can be useful in identifying early changes in the disease state and evaluating response to changes in therapy. It is ideal for those who have moderate to severe persistent asthma, difficulty recognizing signs of exacerbations, or a history of severe exacerbations.
Correspondence Stuart W. Stoloff, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Nevada–Reno, 1200 Mountain Street, Suite 220, Carson City, NV 89703; drstoloff@sbcglobal.net.
