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<\/p>\nA critical target has been reached in asthma management, just under a year after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British Thoracic Society (BTS), and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) published new joint guidelines for asthma management and care.<\/p>\n
More than one\u00a0million people now use combination inhalers instead of blue reliever inhalers, marking a significant shift toward asthma management focused on inflammation.1<\/p>\n
The importance of this figure<\/p>\n
Before, many people with asthma depended on a blue reliever inhaler to relieve symptoms and quickly feel better. Though this approach helps resolve symptoms, the biggest driver of symptoms – underlying inflammation in the airways – was left untreated. This means symptoms can easily return, which ultimately reduces a patient’s quality of life and increases the likelihood of over-reliance on medication.1<\/p>\n
The problem with symptom-led asthma care.<\/p>\n
Those who rely heavily on Short-Acting Beta-Agonist (SABA) inhalers (rescue inhalers) may report good overall health and believe that their asthma is under control, as regularly using their inhaler prevents symptoms from flaring.1 In reality, however, this reliance simply masks the underlying problem: inflammation of the airways.<\/p>\n
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Image Credit: NObreath<\/p>\n
Patients do not always feel the effects of their airway inflammation. If left without treatment, such inflammation can develop into further exacerbations, including asthma attacks.<\/p>\n
Shifting towards prevention-focused care<\/p>\n
The updated guidelines placed greater emphasis on treating the underlying inflammation rather than just the symptoms, signifying a significant shift in asthma care.2 The new guidance reflects:<\/p>\n
Asthma management that is more proactive
\nEarlier anti-inflammatory treatment
\nPrevention of exacerbations
\nLess SABA reliance<\/p>\n
The influence of this new guidance is clear: more than a million people now use combination inhalers that relieve symptoms and treat this underlying inflammation, marking considerable progress in asthma care.1<\/p>\n
Why objective insight is important<\/p>\n
In routine asthma reviews, patients are often asked about their symptoms; their ability to recall their experiences depends on memory. Usually, people with asthma minimize their symptoms, believing that what they experience is normal for their condition.3<\/p>\n
While peak flow remains a useful tool in caring for asthma, it fails to provide a complete picture on its own. It assesses airflow obstruction as opposed to the inflammatory activity driving asthma, underscoring the need for objective assessment: superior asthma care begins with superior insight.<\/p>\n
The role of FeNO testing<\/p>\n
Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) testing is an objective instrument used to assess inflammation of the airways.2 It is non-invasive and easy to carry out at the point of care. It also supports:<\/p>\n
Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) decisions
\nEvaluation of exacerbation risk
\nAdherence assessment
\nMonitoring
\nDiagnosis<\/p>\n
According to the most recent guidance, FeNO supports the shift towards more personalized, biomarker-driven asthma care.<\/p>\n
The NObreath\u00ae FeNO device<\/p>\n
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ImageForAppNote_6349_17799679279811729.png\")
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Image Credit: NObreath<\/p>\n
The NObreath<\/a>\u00ae is a contemporary FeNO device that is portable and easy to use, making it an ideal companion for primary care applications. With the NObreath\u00ae, healthcare professionals can assess a patient\u2019s level of airway inflammation in a short time, allowing it to fit into a standard healthcare appointment.<\/p>\n Such objective insight enables clinicians to make sound decisions on the spot without requiring a follow-up appointment to discuss results.\u00a0Combined with an extensive clinical history, a FeNO test with the NObreath\u00ae can help diagnose asthma and tailor treatments, improving asthma monitoring.<\/p>\n Precision medicine and the future of asthma care<\/p>\n Guidelines receive updates as technology and research progress to enhance patient care.2 The most recent guidelines from NICE\/BTS\/SIGN signified a shift towards:<\/p>\n Precision medicine The shift toward combination inhalers signifies a greater evolution in how asthma is understood and treated. Objective insight can provide a better understanding of what is happening beneath the surface, with FeNO testing supporting this insight and future asthma care.<\/p>\n As asthma care evolves, understanding airway inflammation will become increasingly critical to helping healthcare professionals deliver a more personalized and proactive approach.<\/p>\n References and further reading<\/p>\n National Institute for\u00a0Health and Care Excellence (2026) \u201cI no longer feel asthmatic\u201d: more than a\u00a0million people now using new style inhalers, NICE. Available at: https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/news\/articles\/-i-no-longer-feel-asthmatic-more-than-a-million-people-now-using-new-style-inhalers<\/a>. About NObreath
\nBiomarkers
\nPersonalized pathways
\nEarlier intervention
\nBetter outcomes<\/p>\n
\nNational Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2024)\u00a0Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic\u00a0asthma management (BTS, NICE, SIGN). Available at: https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/NG245<\/a>.
\nBidad, N.,\u00a0et al.\u00a0(2018). Understanding patients\u2019 perceptions of asthma control: a qualitative study.\u00a0European Respiratory Journal, 51(6), p.1701346. DOI: 10.1183\/13993003.01346-2017.\u00a0https:\/\/publications.ersnet.org\/content\/erj\/51\/6\/1701346.abstract<\/a>.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ImageForAppNote_5574_45723028996944445237.png\")
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