The 2025 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense clinical practice guideline for the primary care management of asthma recommends inhaled corticosteroid–containing therapy for all patients with asthma and prioritizes single maintenance and reliever therapy using an inhaled corticosteroid combined with a rapid-onset long-acting beta-agonist (e.g., formoterol) across severity levels, replacing short-acting beta-agonist–only reliever strategies. The guideline also supports stepwise escalation with combination therapy and add-on long-acting muscarinic antagonists when needed, screening for anxiety and depression, and management of comorbid conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and obesity to improve asthma control, while advising against routine use of indoor air filtration devices.

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine Synopsis, Editorial