Should everyone who has asthma use a ics or just albuterol as needed?

All patients with asthma should have a written plan, cleared with their doc, that allows for increasing or decreasing treatments based on the day to day/week to week changes in symptoms. ICS is a good daily maintaince for many, with episodic albuterol. However, all patients have unique needs best managed by someone who knows you best.

Guidelines differ from patient to patient and follow intensity of symptoms as ICS are used for prevention of attacks while albuterol is mostly used for breakthrough symptoms. Talk to you prescriber, keep a log of your symptoms including night.