Asthma in Saudi Arabia: is the system appropriate for optimal primary care?

The objective of the study was to assess the suitability of the structure of Primary Health Care Centers to cater to the needs of patients with asthma. Standards for optimal care were defined by the authors. The worst deficiencies identified were in the availability peak flow meters, inhaler devices and antiinflammatory drugs. Assessment of the optimal structure for asthma care was found to demonstrate variance with national standards. More effort is recommended in central development of guidelines. This assessment can be used to measure future changes in asthma care.