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Asthma in adults: Gain control with a written asthma plan
Managing asthma in adults can be complicated. Make it easier with a written action plan. Here's help getting started.
By Mayo Clinic staffThe key to good asthma control is monitoring your asthma daily and taking the right asthma medication at the right time. A written plan will make it easier for you to take charge of your asthma by helping you track symptoms to see if your asthma is under control — and knowing exactly what steps to take when it isn't. Even though your doctor and other health professionals play a critical role in managing your asthma, you are the most important member of your "asthma team." Having a clear written plan can reduce your anxiety and help you control your asthma — instead of your asthma controlling you.
What a written plan can do for you
Monitoring asthma with a written asthma plan is especially important if you have moderate to severe asthma or you've had serious asthma flare-ups (exacerbations). A written plan can help you:
- Quickly recognize early warning signs of an asthma attack
- Know when to adjust your asthma medications
- Keep tabs on how well your asthma treatment is working
- Know when to call a doctor or when to seek emergency help
Creating your asthma plan
Because asthma varies from person to person, you'll need to work with your doctor to develop a plan that's customized for you. While formats vary, most action plans have clear instructions on how to:
- Use medications. Your plan should list your asthma medications and tell you when to use them. Medications usually include daily control medications (such as inhaled corticosteroids) and as-needed, quick-relief medications (such as inhaled albuterol). If you have a nebulizer to administer medication in mist form, the asthma action plan should include instructions for when to use it.
- Track your long-term asthma control. Good overall asthma control is critical to preventing asthma flare-ups. If your asthma isn't under good long-term control, you're more likely to have bothersome symptoms and you're at increased risk of an asthma attack. Signs of poorly controlled asthma mean you need to meet with your doctor to review your asthma plan and make treatment changes. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a common way to measure how much your symptoms have been bothering you over the past month. This test also tracks how often you've needed to use a quick-relief (rescue) inhaler such as albuterol.
- Recognize and treat an asthma attack. Make sure your written plan has step-by-step instructions for preventing and handling an asthma attack. Warning signs such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or low peak flow readings are evidence of worsening asthma. Recognizing and treating an asthma flare-up before symptoms become severe is the best way to prevent a full-blown asthma attack. If you do have an asthma attack, follow the action plan's instructions for using quick-relief medications and other steps to get your symptoms under control.
- Take action based on peak flow readings. A peak flow meter can help you monitor how well your lungs are working and recognize early signs of an asthma flare-up. When your peak expiratory flow (PEF) reading is low, you'll need to increase or add medications according to your action plan. Often, low peak flow readings are the first sign that your asthma is getting worse.
- Know when to seek emergency care. Some attacks can't be managed at home. Use the action plan to recognize signs of asthma emergency, such as difficulty speaking or straining chest muscles to breathe. The action plan will also tell you when low peak flow readings signal that your asthma has become an emergency.
- Avoid your asthma triggers. The action plan may have a place to list your asthma triggers and how to avoid them. These vary from person to person — examples include cold air, pollen, dust mites, mold, exercise, pet dander, smoke or respiratory infections.
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References
- Expert panel report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda, Md.: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm. Accessed Dec. 1, 2008.
- Kuehn BM. New asthma guidelines released. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;298:1503.
