Asthma is a lung disease caused by inflammation of the windpipes (airways) of the lungs. It can be life threatening, but the disease can be easily controlled with the appropriate treatment. It is chronic. Patients live with it every day. Asthma causes breathing problems, which are called attacks or episodes of asthma. These attacks can be severe, moderate or mild, and are often triggered by irritants such as smoke or things to which a person is allergic.
Treatment Approach
Barnes-Jewish Hospital maintains one of the leading, comprehensive asthma research centers in the country. Our asthma research program is one of just 11 centers in the U.S. seeking the causes of asthma and developing new treatments. In addition, we offer the Community Asthma Program, where work is being done to improve asthma care. Two different patient care locations are offered: the Jacqueline Maritz Lung Center at the Center for Advanced Medicine and the Asthma Center located in west St. Louis County.
The Jacqueline Maritz Lung Center, located on the 8th floor in the Center for Advanced Medicine on the Washington University Medical Center campus, is staffed by a team of pulmonary and allergy specialists, assisted by asthma nurse specialists and allergy technicians. This team evaluates patients using sophisticated equipment for pulmonary function testing and allergy skin testing. Lung Center physicians use the latest medications, drugs and procedures currently in clinical trial. Asthma education, self-management techniques and environmental control measures are key components of the program.
The Asthma Center is a 4,500-square-foot facility located at Mason Road and Olive Boulevard in west St. Louis County. Established in 1989, the center is staffed by full-time faculty from the pulmonary and allergy divisions, plus nurse specialists, a social worker and a speech therapist. These staff members work closely with a patient’s primary care physician on every aspect of care.
Locations
Jacqueline Maritz Lung Center
4921 Parkview, 8th Floor
St. Louis, Mo 63110
The Asthma Center
1040 N. Mason Road, Suite 112
St. Louis, MO 63141
Barnes-Jewish Hospital has developed a new program for adult asthma patients who make frequent trips to the hospital or emergency room with asthma-related problems. With permission from their primary care physician, patients are paired with a nurse coordinator who works closely with them and their physician on asthma management. The nurse coordinator continues the program with follow-up home visits and telephone calls.