Asthma
How CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy® can help
Asthma is a pulmonary condition that makes it difficult to breathe. While millions of people in the U.S. have asthma, there’s a number of patients who experience symptoms that can be categorized as moderate to severe. If you’ve been diagnosed, you can live a long, healthy life with the right treatment and medications.
What is moderate to severe asthma?
Asthma causes inflammation in the lungs by narrowing the airways. This can make breathing difficult, resulting in symptoms like coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Moderate to severe asthma is categorized by the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, even when taking medications as prescribed.¹ Triggers include breathing environmental allergens such as pollen, dust, dander or mold.
There are 4 types of asthma:¹
- Intermittent asthma is a mild form of asthma where people experience symptoms no more than twice a week.
- Mild persistent asthma occurs more than twice a week and may cause a minor disruption to physical activities.
- Moderate persistent asthma is characterized by increased symptom frequency and has a greater impact on daily life.
- Severe persistent asthma is the most severe form of asthma that has a significant impact on day-to-day living due to the frequency of symptoms and asthma attacks.
If you’ve been diagnosed with moderate to severe asthma, you can improve your quality of life by avoiding triggers, getting regular checkups and taking medications as prescribed.
The symptoms of moderate to severe asthma can be unpredictable, occurring at any time, day or night. These symptoms can vary from patient to patient and change over time. It’s important to meet with your doctor to test for severe asthma if you’re experiencing:
- Asthma attacks
- Blue lips, face or fingernails
- Chest pain or tightness
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
Treating moderate to severe asthma requires higher doses of inhaled medications to make it easier to breathe. In recent years, injection medications known as “biologics” have been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe asthma. Biologic medications can improve asthma symptoms.
CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy offers biologic medications to treat severe asthma, as directed by your prescriber.
Getting involved with your community
Whether it’s learning more about the condition, joining a support group or contributing to message boards, you can make a difference for others living with moderate to severe asthma.
Specialists who work remotely to support you wherever you are
Emotional support
Get 1-on-1 support from healthcare professionals who understand what you’re going through. We’ll listen to your concerns, answer your questions and help you manage any stress or anxiety.
Financial assistance
Don’t stress the bills. We work with financial assistance programs like grants, foundations and manufacturers to help you get the care you need. We’ll also assist you with the application process.
Clinical guidance
Receive personalized support regularly and instructions on how to take your meds. We’ll also work with your doctor to adjust your therapy if you’re experiencing side effects.
This information is not intended as a substitute for medical care or advice provided by your doctor or professional care provider. Only your doctor or professional care provider can diagnose and treat a medical condition.
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