During the past decade, asthma morbidity and mortality have increased noticeably. Although the reasons for the increase are not clear, the prevalence of asthma has been reported to be increasing not only in the United States but also in other countries throughout the world, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia. Asthma mortality rates and morbidity trends are increasing despite what appears to be major scientific advances in our understanding of asthma and in the face of a multitude of new therapeutic modalities. This article presents a brief overview of the pathogenesis and diagnosis of asthma, and highlights the major management recommendations of two expert panel reports.