An overview of the latest guidance for asthma in adults—part one: diagnosis

Asthma is a variable, long-term condition characterised by breathlessness, cough, wheeze and chest tightness, usually in the presence of identified trigger factors. The variable and seasonal nature of asthma can make it difficult to diagnose, a phenomenon that can be confounded by the lack of a single, gold standard diagnostic test. In November 2024, the first conjoint guidance from the British Thoracic Society, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network was published. Although it may be hoped that increased clarity and consistency will be achieved through these, they remain slightly different from international guidelines published by the Global Initiative for Asthma. Part one of this article provides an overview of the significant changes to the UK asthma guidelines relating to the diagnosis of asthma in adults. Part two will discuss treatment.