Version 3.5, revision planned in 2011.
Last revised in December 2007
February 2011 — minor update. The range of dry powder inhaler devices included as prescriptions has been updated. Issued in February 2011.
December 2010 — minor update. The Flixotide Diskhaler® (fluticasone) range has been discontinued. The prescription has been removed. Issued in December 2010.
October 2010 — minor update. Information on fitness to drive from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's guidance for medical practitioners, At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drive has been added [DVLA, 2010]. Issued in November 2010.
September 2010 — minor update. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issues a reminder to prescribers that, for most children, a daily dose of 24 micrograms formoterol is sufficient [MHRA, 2010]. Issued in September 2010.
March 2010 — minor update. All strengths of Beclazone® inhalers have been discontinued. Prescriptions removed. For advice regarding switching from CFC beclometasone to CFC-free beclometasone, see the section What dose of inhaled corticosteroid should I prescribe?. Issued in March 2010.
January 2010 – minor update. Ciclesonide (Alvesco®) is no longer a black triangle product. Minor addition to text regarding drug interactions with theophylline. Issued in January 2010.
December 2009 — minor update. Clenil Modulite® (beclometasone CFC-free) is no longer a black triangle product. Prescription updated. Issued in December 2009.
November 2009 — minor update. The Supporting evidence section on Symbicort Smart® has been reworded to make it clear that the data summarized are from a single Cochrane review. Issued in November 2009.
August 2009 — minor update. The annual updates from the British guideline on the management of asthma: a national clinical guideline by SIGN/BTS are now included [SIGN and BTS, 2008b]. Issued in August 2009.
May 2009 — updated to include information and prescriptions for budesonide CFC-free pMDI. The Nebuhaler® spacer device has been discontinued. The prescription has been replaced with the NebuChamber® spacer device. Issued in June 2009.
April 2009 — minor update. The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicators for stopping smoking that relate to asthma have been added to the Goals and outcome measures section. Issued in May 2009.
February 2009 — minor update. Flixotide® 50 microgram diskhaler and all strengths of the Aerobec® breath-actuated inhaler have been discontinued. Prescriptions removed. Issued March 2009.
August 2008 — update to the diagnosis and assessment sections following the publication of the British guideline on the management of asthma: a national clinical guideline by SIGN/BTS [SIGN and BTS, 2008a]. Issued in November 2008.
March 2008 — minor update to include advice from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regarding the use of short-acting beta2-agonists in people who have a history of heart disease. Issued in March 2008.
September to December 2007 — converted from PRODIGY guidance to CKS topic structure. The evidence-base has been reviewed in detail, and recommendations are more clearly justified and transparently linked to the supporting evidence.
This CKS topic includes revisions in the 2007 update to the SIGN/BTS British Guideline on the Management of Asthma.