Inhaler blues?

One of the major improvements in asthma therapy is the move from symptom relief and overuse of the blue rescue inhalers to regular use of antiinflammatory controller ICS com bina - tion inhalers. Guidelines are based on striving for control, and physicians are encouraged to assess control during all patient visits. Physicians commonly determine a patient's use of a rescue bronchodilator by asking, "How often have you used your blue inhaler in the past week?"4 During telephone conversations, physicians or other health care providers, for worsening symptoms, may tell a patient to "increase significantly their blue inhaler."1