TY - JOUR T1 - Evidently... JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 135 LP - 135 DO - 10.1136/ebm.12.5.135 VL - 12 IS - 5 AU - Richard Lehman Y1 - 2007/10/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/12/5/135.abstract N2 - Asthma is the oldest medical word in common use: it first appears in the writings of Hippocrates around 450 BCE and derives from a verb used by Homer. Two and a half millennia later, we continue to argue about its definition and treatment. The drugs we prescribe most are the β adrenergic agonists, both short acting and long acting, although they are associated with an increase in the risk of asthma-related death. We urge many patients to take inhaled corticosteroids, but many forget; for them a good idea might be to use metered dose inhalers with an audiovisual reminder device, according to a trial from New Zealand ( J Allergy Clin Immunol2007;119:811–6OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science) . Recently, fixed dose combinations of long acting β stimulants and steroids have become popular with both doctors and patients, though we lack good data on their long term safety. A Polish study compared 2 frequently used combinations, salmeterol/fluticasone and formoterol/budesonide. They performed equally well over 6 months ( Int J Clin Pract2007;61:725–36OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science) . And a study aimed at reducing treatment for mild persistent asthma in the USA … ER -