This information sheet provides concise information for primary care health professionals, based on the National Asthma Council’s updated Australian Asthma Handbook.
Recommendations have changed for the initial treatment of asthma in adults and adolescents:
The National Asthma Council's Australian Asthma Handbook now recommends that day-to-day asthma symptoms in patients aged 12 years and over should be managed with anti-inflammatory relievers, in preference to salbutamol or terbutaline.
Anti-inflammatory relievers are inhalers that contain an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in combination with formoterol, a rapid-onset bronchodilator.
Maintenance-and-reliever therapy (MART) is recommended for patients who need maintenance treatment. MART means the patient uses their ICS-formoterol inhaler for daily/twice-daily preventive treatment, and takes extra doses when needed for symptom relief.
What is MART?
The patient takes daily doses of either beclometasoneformoterol or budesonide-formoterol, once or twice daily according to dose requirement. Using the same inhaler, the patient takes extra doses to manage asthma symptoms.
Who should be prescribed MART?
MART is recommended for:
- (stepping up) patients using budesonide-formoterol as needed (the minimal recommended treatment level) if they are using it on 3 or more days per week
- (switching) patients with exacerbations or persistent asthma symptoms despite maintenance treatment with low-dose ICS plus as-needed short-acting beta2 agonist (SABA).
View the information sheet by accessing the download button above.
Acknowledgements
Developed by the National Asthma Council Australia in collaboration with:
Clinical Associate Professor Debbie Rigby
Advanced practice pharmacist
Dr Kerry Hancock
General practitioner
Professor Christine Jenkins
Respiratory physician
Professor Nick Zwar
General practitioner
This information was developed independently by the National Asthma Council Australia with support from Chiesi Australia and Orion Pharma.
Disclaimer
Although all care has been taken, this information is a general guide only, which is not a substitute for assessment of appropriate courses of treatment on a case-by-case basis. The National Asthma Council Australia expressly disclaims all responsibility (including for negligence) for any loss, damage or personal injury resulting from reliance on the information contained herein.
© National Asthma Council Australia 2026
An information sheet for health professionals based on the Australian Asthma Handbook
An information sheet for health professionals based on the Australian Asthma Handbook
An information sheet for health professionals based on the Australian Asthma Handbook
