Q. A 35-year-old man with a known history of intermittent asthma presents to your primary care clinic with complaints of worsening shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. He reports that these symptoms have been occurring more than twice per week, with nighttime awakenings 3 times per month.
The patient is currently using a short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) inhaler as needed. On further inquiry, he mentions that he has been using his SABA inhaler multiple times a day and sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night needing it. His peak flow measurements indicate an FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) greater than 80% predicted.
Given this patient's presentation, what is the most appropriate next step in managing his asthma?