Asthma Specialist in Mohali — Dr. Rahul Katyal

Why a Specialist

What an Asthma Specialist Does That a GP Cannot

General practitioners manage most everyday asthma well. A pulmonology specialist adds diagnostic depth and treatment options for anything beyond simple, stable disease.

GP / General Physician

✔️ Diagnoses and starts treatment for typical asthma

✔️ Prescribes standard preventer and reliever inhalers

✔️ Manages mild, stable, well-controlled asthma

✔️ Refers on when control is not achieved

Asthma Specialist (Pulmonologist)

✅ Confirms the diagnosis with full lung function testing

✅ Identifies the asthma phenotype with blood and allergy tests

✅ Manages severe, occupational and hard-to-control asthma

✅ Assesses eligibility for biologic (targeted) therapy

✅ Distinguishes asthma from COPD and other lung conditions

Conditions Treated

Types of Asthma We Diagnose and Treat

Asthma is not one single disease. Naming the type correctly is what makes treatment effective.

🟢

Mild & Moderate Asthma

Well-defined symptoms controlled with the right inhaler regimen and a clear action plan.

🔴

Severe Asthma

Uncontrolled despite high-dose inhalers — may benefit from targeted biologic therapy. Learn more →

🌼

Allergic Asthma

Triggered by dust, pollen, mould or animal dander — managed alongside allergy control.

🏭

Occupational Asthma

Caused or worsened by workplace exposures such as dust, fumes, or chemicals — needs careful history-taking.

🏃

Exercise-Induced Symptoms

Breathlessness or wheeze brought on by exertion, common in younger and active patients.

🔀

Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACO)

Features of both conditions together — requires a combined and carefully balanced treatment plan.

Diagnosis

The Tests Used to Diagnose and Monitor Asthma

Objective testing removes the guesswork. It confirms asthma, measures its severity, and tracks how well it is controlled over time.

Spirometry / PFT

The core lung function test. It measures how much and how fast you can breathe out, and how much the obstruction reverses after a bronchodilator — the hallmark of asthma.

Peak Flow Monitoring

A simple home device that tracks your best airflow day to day, showing patterns and early warning of loss of control.

Blood & Allergy Tests

Eosinophil count, IgE and allergy testing help identify the asthma phenotype and guide targeted treatment decisions.

FeNO (Airway Inflammation)

A breath test that measures nitric oxide as a marker of airway inflammation, used in some centres to support diagnosis and monitoring.
[CONFIRM: is FeNO testing available at Gini?]

Treatment

The Asthma Treatment Ladder

Asthma treatment is stepped up when control is poor and stepped down once you are stable — always aiming for the lowest effective step.

Step 1

Reliever inhaler as needed — a short-acting bronchodilator for occasional symptoms, plus a low-dose preventer where indicated.

Step 2

Regular low-dose preventer (inhaled steroid) — taken daily to control the underlying inflammation.

Step 3

Combination inhaler — inhaled steroid plus a long-acting bronchodilator, with the dose adjusted to control.

Step 4

High-dose combination plus add-on therapies — for asthma that remains difficult to control.

Step 5

Biologic therapy for severe asthma — targeted injections for uncontrolled disease at the top of the ladder. Read the biologics guide →

Your Specialist

Meet Dr. Rahul Katyal

Dr. Rahul Katyal

MBBS, MD Pulmonary Medicine & Non-Invasive Cardiology

Director of Critical Care · Gini Advanced Care Hospital

✓ Manages asthma at every grade — from newly diagnosed to severe and hard to control
✓ Postgraduate training in both Pulmonary Medicine and Non-Invasive Cardiology
✓ Special interest in biologic therapy, COPD, and asthma-COPD overlap
✓ Director of the 30-bed ICU — the same team manages any acute asthma attack

Dr. Rahul Katyal is Gini Hospital's lead pulmonologist and Director of Critical Care. As an asthma specialist he focuses on getting the diagnosis right, using objective lung function testing rather than assumptions, and then building a long-term plan that keeps symptoms controlled with the least possible medication. For patients whose asthma has needed emergency care, he offers the reassurance of a specialist who also directs the intensive care unit.

View Full Profile →

Easy to Reach

Convenient for the Whole Chandigarh Tri-City

Gini Advanced Care Hospital is in Sector 69, SAS Nagar (Mohali) — a short drive from Chandigarh, Panchkula and Zirakpur.

~15 min

from Chandigarh

~20 min

from Panchkula

~10 min

from Zirakpur

Sector 69

SAS Nagar (Mohali)

Gini Advanced Care Hospital, Sector 69, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab 160071. OPD 0172-4120100 · Emergency +91 82888 43800 · WhatsApp +91 81463 20100.

FAQ

Asthma Specialist — Frequently Asked Questions

When should I see an asthma specialist instead of my GP? +

A GP can manage mild, stable, well-controlled asthma. You should see a specialist (pulmonologist) if your diagnosis is uncertain, your asthma remains uncontrolled despite regular inhalers, you have frequent attacks or emergency visits, you need repeated oral steroid courses, or you may have occupational or severe asthma. A specialist also offers detailed lung function testing and access to targeted therapies.

What tests are used to diagnose and monitor asthma? +

The core test is spirometry (a pulmonary function test, or PFT), which measures airway obstruction and how much it reverses with a bronchodilator. Peak flow monitoring tracks control over time at home. Allergy testing and blood tests such as eosinophil count and IgE help identify the asthma phenotype. FeNO (a breath test for airway inflammation) is used in some centres as an additional marker.

What types of asthma does the specialist treat? +

Dr. Rahul Katyal manages mild, moderate and severe asthma, allergic asthma, occupational asthma triggered by workplace exposures, exercise-induced symptoms, and asthma-COPD overlap. Each type needs a different treatment approach, which is why an accurate diagnosis matters.

What is the treatment ladder for asthma? +

Asthma treatment is stepped up or down according to control. It starts with a reliever inhaler, adds a low-dose preventer (inhaled steroid), then a combination inhaler with a long-acting bronchodilator at higher doses, and add-on therapies. For severe asthma that stays uncontrolled at the top of the ladder, biologic therapy is considered. The aim is to use the lowest step that keeps you well controlled.

Where is the asthma clinic and how far is it from Chandigarh? +

The clinic is at Gini Advanced Care Hospital, Sector 69, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab 160071. It is roughly 15 minutes from Chandigarh, about 20 minutes from Panchkula, and around 10 minutes from Zirakpur, making it convenient for patients across the Tri-City area.