Do You Have Well Controlled Asthma?
Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 03:50PM This is a question every asthma patient should be able to answer.
Once a controller medication has been prescribed for treatment of persistent asthma, evaluation of control should follow. There are three categories of control published in the NIH revised Asthma Guidelines:
-Well Controlled
-Not Well Controlled
-Very Poorly Controlled
People with well controlled asthma:
1) Have asthma symptoms (cough, wheeze shortness of breath and chest tightness) less than 3x/week
2) Need their reliever inhaler (albuterol) less than 3x/week
3) Awaken from sleep because of asthma symptoms less than 3x/week
4) Do not have limitations because of asthma symptoms at work, home or school
5) Have normal pulmonary function (PFR >80% personal best or FEV1 >80%)
6) Have and Asthma Control Test (ACT) score of 20 or higher
7) Have not had more than 1 asthma attack (episode of asthma requiring a nebulizer treatment, oral steroid, unscheduled doctor visit or trip to an Emergency Department or Urgent Care Center) in the last 12 months
Do you know what your ACT score is?
Click this hyperlink to take the test.
Good asthma control is a primary goal of asthma management.
If any one of the above 7 levels of measure, of asthma control are not met, your asthma is not well controlled.
You should discuss how to achieve better control with your doctor or specialist (allergist or lung specialist).
Review my posting on: Asthma Checklist.
Going hiking, camping or on a picnic in the preserves soon?
You may want to review my latest posting about Poison Ivy (Be Prepared!!)
Click on this link: Poison Ivy: "Leafs of Three Leave Them Be!"
Reader Comments