Leading asthma professor: “Prevention is better than cure”
Asthma | 31 October 2025
Asthma care has changed in recent years: Instead of waiting for symptoms to appear and reaching for quick relief, today’s approach is to prevent flare-ups before they happen. Doctors now focus on ensuring that people with asthma manage the underlying inflammation in their airways every day, so that symptoms are less likely to develop in the first place.
One leading expert is Professor Desmond Murphy, an asthma specialist and consultant respiratory physician at Cork University Hospital in Ireland. He has been treating people with asthma for decades and says understanding of the condition and the approach to treating it has shifted.
Inflammation, the real driver
By treating it as an inflammatory disease and not just a problem of airway narrowing, patients can prevent symptoms developing rather than constantly needing to react to them.
To illustrate this shift, Professor Murphy explains that even in the treatment of mild asthma, the current international guideline does not recommend using only a reliever inhaler1.
Yes, it’s a vital safeguard against an asthma attack because it quickly relaxes the airway muscles, Murphy says, but it does not address the inflammation. That is the real driver of the condition.
If inflammation is left untreated, patients with asthma are at greater risk of flare-ups, chest infections, hospital visits and, in severe cases, life-threatening attacks, he points out. The safer approach is to always keep the inflammation under control, not just act when symptoms become acute.
Preventive treatment is the cornerstone of modern asthma care, Professor Murphy says. If you regularly use a preventer inhaler, you may notice that you need less medication to relieve airway constriction.
Patient at the center
According to Murphy, asthma care nowadays places much greater emphasis on listening to patients. He uses tools such as the Asthma Control Questionnaire to track day-to-day symptoms, which he said makes it easier to adjust treatment.
“This moves asthma care away from a narrow focus on lung functions tests towards one centred on patient experience,” he says.
One of the benefits, he explains, is that this is a pro-active approach. It means that doctor and patient can look at scores and see how far a patient has progressed. Medication can be adjusted until control of the condition is reached.
Murphy warns against the common mistake many of us make of taking medicines only when you feel unwell. Asthma is still active in the background on good days, and preventive treatment is needed every day to keep control steady.
Even mild symptoms should be taken seriously because they point to ongoing inflammation. You shouldn’t just reach for the blue reliever inhaler.
“It’s like vaccines,” he says, “you get a vaccine to stop yourself from running into problems later.”
Active life with asthma
The indoor and outdoor environment is also important2, Professor Murphy emphasises, since triggers vary widely from person to person. Some find that winter air sets them off, while others react to paint fumes, smoke or freshly cut grass. Notice when and where your symptoms are worse so you can manage your own triggers3.
“Remember to also pay attention to the environment in which you live. For example, if there's a lot of dust in your bedroom, you're continuously being exposed to a potential trigger.”
Despite the challenges, asthma should not hold people back4, Professor Murphy stresses. Many adults, including elite athletes, live with the condition and still perform at the highest level. With the right treatment, Murphy says, patients can expect a normal life expectancy and the freedom to live full and active lives5.
His central message is simple: “prevention is better than cure”6. With your asthma properly managed, you will feel well, your life will be more predictable, and the condition should be no more than a minor inconvenience rather than something that holds you back.
1 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention 2025. ginasthma.org (Accessed October 2025).
2 Andersen ZJ, Vicedo-Cabrera AM, Hoffmann B, et al. Climate change and respiratory disease: clinical guidance for healthcare professionals. Breathe. 2023;19:220222.
3 World Health Organization | 5 ways to keep your asthma under control. www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/dont-let-asthma-hold-you-back-5-ways-to-make-sure-that-you-are-in-control-of-your-asthma (Accessed October 2025).
4 World Health Organization: Asthma www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma (Accessed October 2025).
5 Cordova-Rivera L, et al. A Systematic Review of Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time with Asthma Outcomes. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, Volume 6, Issue 6, 1968 - 1981.e2.
6 Patel O, Syamlal G, Wood J, Dodd KE, Mazurek JM. Asthma Mortality Among Persons Aged 15–64 Years, by Industry and Occupation — United States, 1999–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:60–65.
By Peter Seenan
CORP-RESP-2084
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Orion Corporation is a globally operating Finnish pharmaceutical company. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The dry powder inhaler developed at Orion is in the core of our respiratory therapy area.
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