Table of Contents
Managing Asthma at Home
Asthma Action Plans
Asthma action plans create a written document for patients to manage asthma during stable times and to more easily identify when asthma is worsening. Important components of a home program include:
- A clearly written plan for taking asthma medications when condition is stable
- A complete education regarding the difference between long-term control medications and quick-relief medications
- Monitoring of asthma on a daily basis. Symptom monitoring is adequate for patients with intermittent or mild persistent asthma. Peak flow monitoring should be performed in patients with moderate or severe persistent asthma or those with a history of more severe exacerbations (sudden worsening or increase in severity of symptoms).
- A list of environmental control measures that need to be taken
- When to seek medical care
Managing Asthma Exacerbations. Always refer to the written action plan from your doctors and nurses. Treatment approaches generally include:
- Recognizing symptoms and measuring peak flow
- Using for the first time or increasing usage of short-acting medications
- Eliminating or withdrawing from any triggers or irritants that may be responsible for increase in severity of symptoms
- Depending on written instructions from doctor, beginning oral corticosteroids
- Monitoring response to treatments and communicating with doctor if symptoms worsen or if severe symptoms occur. [See: "Symptoms" section.]
Follow-up generally depends on the severity of asthma, how recently asthma was diagnosed, patient compliance, and whether recent changes in treatment were made.
Avoiding Environmental Triggers
Review Date: 05/03/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
