NIH guidelines recommend anti-inflammatory medication for patients with mild, moderate, or severe persistent asthma.

More than nine out of ten doctors (92%) agree that anti-inflammatory drugs are essential or very important in the long-term management of persistent asthma. Only 18% of asthma patients reported using anti-inflammatory medication in the past 4 weeks, including 15% of asthma patients taking inhaled corticosteroids and 3% using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.