The Royal Society of Medicine - Your Guide to Asthma

Summary:
The Royal Society of Medicine - Your Guide to Asthma is the patient's ultimate source of essential and invaluable information. Providing all the necessary facts, guidance and support, this book will enable the reader to make informed choices and regain control of their life.



Written by two of the world's leading experts in this field, this book is the comprehensive guide to dealing with asthma in everyday life. Covering the reasons why so many thousands of people, young and old, suffer from the illness, the actual diagnosis and the tests that this involves, to explaining the variety of treatments on offer and how to manage the illness in your day-to-day life, this book will inform, reassure and support you, when you need it the most.



The clear, straightforward design of the book together with original features such as myth/fact boxes, key terms, question and answer sections and a chapter on who the patient/carer might meet in the NHS and their role in the treatment of the illness will prepare the reader for all that may lie ahead.

• The only and ultimate source of information that a patient or carer will need to read and refer to throughout the illness.
• Written by Professor Richard Beasley and Professor Stephen Holgate, both highly regarded, internationally renouned, experts on asthma with vast experience and knowledge.
• Having been edited and approved by The Royal Society of Medicine, this book is THE reliable authority on asthma.
• Endorsed by Asthma UK - an added seal of approval. For each book sold we will donate 50p to this charity.
• The jargon-free writing style and the many informative and attractive features of the book will ensure that it guides, supports and informs the reader at all times.

Table of Contents:
How many people get asthma?
Prevalence
Morbidity
Mortality
Disability-adjusted life years
Economic cost
Natural history
What is asthma?
Definition
Mechanisms
Causes
Classification
Diagnosis
History
Examination
Lung function
Other diagnoses
Tests
Lung function
Other tests
Treatment
Long-term
Aims of treatment
Principles of treatment
Stepwise approach based on severity
Medications
Non-pharmacological approaches
Other issues such as compliance, inhaler technique
Severe episodes
Recognition
Treatment
Guided self-management - putting it all together
Issues
Infants
Elderly
Pregnancy
Occupational asthma
Sports
Food allergy
Medications to avoid
Associated conditions
COPD
The future
Further help
Structure of health care system
National Asthma Council
Other (International)

About the Author(s):
Professor Richard Beasley is the Director of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand. He is from Wellington, New Zealand and is a world expert on asthma and asthma clinical trials. He has recently come to London to receive an Honorary Fellowship of our Royal College of Physicians for his outstanding work in asthma and in communication with patients. Professor Stephen Holgate is the Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southhampton and is an international authority on respiratory medicine. He has published over 700 peer-reviewed papers and scientific contributions to journals. He has also edited major textbooks on asthma and rhinitis and is a leader in this field.

Readership:
Essential reading for anyone who suffers from asthma or those close to a person who has the illness who want to understand more.

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