Milestones in asthma management.

Highly informative documentary, introduced and narrated by Tim Clark, looking at the history of asthma treatment. He begins by outlining key figures in the original diagnosis and understanding of asthma. Professor Guy Scadding talks about how asthma was treated in the 1930s. The invention of the peak flow meter in 1959 was an important moment for defining asthma as a disease of lung obstruction rather than neurotic origins. Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick talks about asthma treatment in the 1950s and the introduction of a 'medihaler' which could give a metered dose of a bronchodilator. Donald Zavala describes how fibre optic bronchoscopy was introduced into medical practice. Asthma treatments Intal and Ventolin are described by Roy Brittain and Graham Crompton talks about the introduction of Becotide, the first inhaled steroid inhaler, and how it completely changed asthma clinics. The relationship between air pollution and the prevalence of asthma is addressed by Erika von Mutius and Greta Barnes talks about the introduction of asthma clinics with trained nurses. Medical professionals involved in more recent years in asthma management continue the story.