Many asthmatics know to take their rescue inhalers when they are having difficulty breathing. However, they can often minimize the severity of the attack or even prevent a trip to the emergency room or hospital by following an action plan. Exactly what is as Asthma Action Plan? The action plan varies from patient to patient and is developed by the health care provider and the patient working together rather than a cook book recipe used for everyone. It is based on the individual asthmatic's symptoms and peak flow meter readings.
We discussed earlier how peak flow meters are used to determine an asthmatic's personal best. It is also used to determine impending exacerbations. If an asthmatic's reading this morning is better than 80% of their personal best, it is likely they are in good shape and can continue their regular routines. Less than 80% of personal best may be a warning of an impending attack. The asthmatic would then take whatever actions their plan.indicates.
Asthma Action Plan "zones" are simple to follow- Green (doing well), Yellow (asthma is getting worse), Red (Medical Alert). As already stated, they are linked to the individual asthmatic's peak flow reading and symptoms I have included a website from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute that explains each part of the plan. This can be downloaded and discussed with a health care provider.
http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/actionplan.html
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