Health Information Asthma: Taking charge of your asthma
Asthma: Taking charge of your asthma
Introduction
During an asthma attack, the airways swell and narrow. This makes it hard to
breathe. Asthma is a lifelong problem, but it does not have to limit you. If
you take charge of your asthma, you can lead a full and active life.
There are two parts to taking charge of asthma:
Controlling asthma over the long term. You and
your doctor can make a daily treatment plan that helps reduce the swelling of
your airways and prevent attacks. Using a daily treatment plan also helps you
keep track of your asthma and know how well your treatment is
working.
Treating attacks when they occur. An asthma action plan
can help you prevent and treat attacks.
If you or your child has been recently diagnosed, it may
seem like there is a lot to remember. But the things you need to do to take
charge of your asthma are really quite simple. With some practice, they will
become part of your normal routine.
There are a few tools you can use to keep track of your asthma and know
how well your treatment is working. Keeping track of your asthma lets you act
quickly to stop an attack before it becomes an emergency. Your doctor and
asthma educator can help you make the plans and learn the skills you need.
A daily treatment plan tells you what
controller medicine to take every day and when to take it. Controller medicine
is usually an inhaled
corticosteroid. Taking your controller medicine every
day helps reduce the swelling of your airways and prevent attacks.
Your treatment plan may also include:
A list of your
asthma triggers-the things that make your asthma
worse. Avoiding triggers can help you keep your asthma under
control.
Treatment goals. Having personal goals can help motivate
you to follow your plan. For example, goals might include being symptom-free at
night or being able to play sports.
An
asthma diary. In the diary, you write down your peak
flow, what symptoms you are having and what caused them, and any medicines you
used. See a
sample asthma diary(What is a PDF document?)
.
An asthma action plan can help you
make quick decisions about treatment when your asthma is worse and you need to
prevent an attack. It tells you:
How to know when your asthma is not in control
and how to change your treatment so you can prevent an attack.
What to do if an attack becomes an emergency, and where to get medical
treatment.
You and your doctor will work together to create your
asthma action plan. An action plan has zones that are based on your peak flow
or symptoms. See a
sample asthma action plan(What is a PDF document?)
.
Your doctor can teach you the skills you
need to use your asthma treatment and action plans. These include:
How to use a
peak flow meter to check your peak flow (also called
peak expiratory flow or PEF). Peak flow is a measure
of how open your airways are. A drop in peak flow can show that the airways
have narrowed even before you have symptoms. Then you can start treatment right
away to help prevent an attack.
How to use a
metered-dose inhaler or dry powder inhaler. Using a
metered-dose inhaler with a spacer is an easy way to
get the medicine to your lungs. But you have to use the inhaler correctly for
it to work well. If you are not sure that you are using your inhaler the right
way, ask your doctor to show you how. Your doctor can also tell you if you need
to use a spacer with your type of inhaler.
What symptoms to watch
for. Symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, or tiring quickly during exercise can
mean that your asthma is not well-controlled. Having these symptoms may mean
that you need to see your doctor and adjust your treatment.
How to
identify, avoid, and reduce triggers.
Test Your Knowledge
It is very important to know how to use a peak flow
meter.
Knowing how to use a peak flow meter is very
important. A peak flow meter measures how open your airways are. A drop in peak
flow can show that the airways have narrowed even before you have symptoms.
This can let you treat an asthma attack early, before it becomes severe.
Knowing how to use a peak flow meter is very
important. A peak flow meter measures how open your airways are. A drop in peak
flow can show that the airways have narrowed even before you have symptoms.
This can let you treat an asthma attack early, before it becomes severe.
Taking charge of your asthma has both
short-term and long-term benefits. In the short term, it can help you have
fewer and less severe attacks. In the long term, it helps keep your lungs as
healthy as possible and allows you to maintain a high quality of life.
Taking charge of your asthma has both
short-term and long-term benefits. In the short term, it can help you have
fewer and less severe attacks. In the long term, it helps keep your lungs as
healthy as possible and allows you to maintain a high quality of life.
Take your daily medicines as prescribed. This
can keep asthma under control and help you avoid asthma attacks.
Keep your treatment goals in mind. This may help you stick with
your treatment.
Review your list of triggers. Avoiding triggers
can help reduce the chance that you will have an asthma attack.
Check your peak flow
Use your peak flow meter. This is the best way
to check how well your lungs are working, which is called lung function. Your
lung function can get worse without causing symptoms.
Check your
peak flow as often as your doctor tells you to. For many people this is twice a
day, morning and evening.
If you have trouble using your meter,
talk to your doctor.
Use your asthma action plan
Each time you measure your peak flow, check your action plan to see what
zone you are in. If your peak flow drops below 80% of your
personal best measurement, follow your action plan. To
figure out what 80% of your personal best measurement is, multiply your
personal best measurement by 0.80. For example, if your personal best peak flow
is 400, then 80% of that is 400 times 0.80, which is 320. To figure what 50% of
your personal best peak flow is, multiply your personal best measurement by
0.50.
Green means Go. You are
in the
green zone if your peak flow is 80% to 100% of your
personal best measurement.
This is where you want to be. Keep taking
your daily asthma medicines as prescribed.
Yellow means Caution. You
are in the
yellow zone if your peak flow is 50% to less than 80%
of your personal best measurement. You may not have any symptoms, but your lung
function is reduced. When symptoms are present, you may cough, wheeze, or feel
short of breath, or your asthma may limit your activities or wake you up at
night.
You should take action. Your action plan
will tell you what medicines you need to take, how much to take, and when to
take them. If you keep going into the yellow zone from the green zone, talk
with your doctor. You may need a different medicine or the dose of your
medicine may need to be increased.
Red means STOP. You are
in the
red zone if your peak flow is less than 50% of your personal best
measurement. You may be very short of breath, or the quick-relief medicines may
not have worked. This is dangerous.
Take the actions listed in your action
plan. You may need to go to the emergency room or be admitted to the
hospital.
Use your asthma diary
Write down your peak flow readings in the
asthma diary.
If you have an attack, write down what caused it
(if you know), the symptoms, and what medicine you took.
See your doctor to review your plans
Keep your regular follow-up appointments. During
checkups, your doctor will ask if your symptoms and peak flow have held steady,
improved, or gotten worse and if you have asthma attacks during exercise or at
night. Your doctor may want to see how you use your peak flow meter. This
information can help your doctor know if your
asthma category has changed or if you need to change
medicines or doses.
When you go to your doctor:
Take your daily treatment plan, your asthma
action plan, and your asthma diary. Get answers to any questions you may have
about your asthma plans or your symptoms. Let your doctor know if treatment is
not controlling your asthma symptoms.
Take your peak flow meter
and medicines so your doctor can review your treatment and the way you use the
meter and medicines.
Make sure you know how and when to call your
doctor or go to the hospital.
Tell your doctor if you are having
trouble following your action plan.
Test Your Knowledge
If you are following your action plan and using your
treatment, you don't need to see your doctor for follow-up appointments.
Even if you are doing everything you should,
you still need to see your doctor on a regular schedule. Your doctor can make
sure you are getting the treatment you need to control your asthma and limit
the damage to your lungs.
Even if you are doing everything you should,
you still need to see your doctor on a regular schedule. Your doctor can make
sure you are getting the treatment you need to control your asthma and limit
the damage to your lungs.
If you have questions about
this information, take it with you when you visit your health professional. You
may want to mark areas or make notes in the margins where you have
questions.
If you would like more information on asthma, the
following resources are available:
Organizations
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and
Immunology
555 East Wells Street
Suite 1100
Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823
Phone:
1-800-822-2762 (doctor referral information only) (414) 272-6071
E-mail:
info@aaaai.org (For general questions only. The AAAAI cannot answer individual questions relating to the diagnosis or treatment of allergies.)
Web Address:
www.aaaai.org
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
publishes an excellent series of pamphlets on allergies, asthma, and related
information. It also provides physician referrals.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
(AAFA)
1233 20th Street NW
Suite 402
Washington, DC 20036
Phone:
1-800-7-ASTHMA (1-800-727-8462)
E-mail:
info@aafa.org
Web Address:
www.aafa.org
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
provides information and support for people who have allergies or asthma. The
AAFA has local chapters and support groups. And its Web site has online
resources, such as fact sheets, brochures, and newsletters, both free and for
purchase.
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