English summary: IS THE BELIEF THAT ASTHMA IS WELL CONTROLLED IN FINLAND TRUE?

A successful 10-year asthma programme in Finland was completed in 2004. The importance of anti-inflammatory medication of asthma and the patient's ability to adjust the medication during periods of exacerbation are well understood. This study was aimed at clarifying how asthma medication is used in practice and how asthma affects everyday life. A total of 106 GPs were asked to recruit patients using inhaled steroid as maintenance treatment for asthma to take part in a telephone survey. Altogether 142 patients were interviewed. These interviews were conducted as computer-aided telephone interviews.

In half of the patients studied asthma was only partly controlled. Despite the rather high inhaled corticosteroid dose, reliever medication was used at least once daily by 46% of the patients, and patients experienced exacerbations on average four times per year.

The most common triggers for asthma symptoms were allergies and infections. Time from first symptoms to peak of worsening was on average 5,9 days and recovery from symptoms took over a week in 56% of the patients. 58% of the patients had received written instructions how to deal with exacerbations.

To successfully treat asthma it is important to act early with sufficient anti-inflammatory treatment. In addition increased use of reliever medication should be seen as a sign of uncontrolled asthma.