Severe asthma in South Africa: A literature review and management approach for primary care

Abstract

Severe asthma in South Africa (SA) is underappreciated, especially in the primary care setting. This study highlights the epidemiological context of severe asthma as a phenotypic variant. Primary care practitioners, as first-contact medical providers, need grounding in the management of severe asthma based on the precision of diagnosis and negotiated along the 10-point strategy. The underdiagnosis and undertreatment of asthma ought to inform educational programmes and research in this country.

Keywords

• severe asthma
• uncontrolled
• difficult to treat
• treatment-resistant
• epidemiological context
• primary care
• management approach