Asthma mortality: what have we learned?

In this article, I have tried to present the complexity of the issues relating to asthma mortality. There are many unanswered questions and few straightforward answers. It is appropriate that we be concerned that mortality rates are apparently increasing despite the availability of better antiasthma medications and that we identify the key research studies that will allow us to answer these complex questions. At the same time, we should take this opportunity to increase our educational efforts. For the health professionals these efforts should be directed toward improving the accuracy of diagnosis and appropriateness of management in asthma. For the lay public, the efforts should be directed toward increasing the awareness of the many faces of asthma.