But, since mild persistent asthma affects large numbers of people, this was an important group to investigate. Also, one of the most common problems with achieving asthma control is that asthma patients frequently do not take their asthma medicine as often as prescribed. Why?

• Asthma medicine is expensive, so some people take less in an effort to save money.
• Sometimes asthmatics forget to take their asthma medicine, especially when they're feeling good.
• Or, an asthma patient might be uncomfortable using an inhaler in public, so the dose is skipped.
• Patients don't like side effects caused by the medicine.

There may be other reasons as well, but those are some of the most common. So, if mild persistent asthma patients could take medicine less often and still achieve satisfactory asthma control, it could increase compliance with the treatment regime.

Also, it's important to note that although Montelukast did not perform quite as well in this study, it still provided adequate asthma control in most patients.

Ultimately, you and your doctor must balance convenience, price, effects, and personal preference to come up with the best asthma treatment plan for you. So be sure to keep the lines of communication open with your doctor!