Managing your asthma can be a daily task, depending on its severity. If you keep your plan somewhere you can always see it, you’ll never be unsure of the next steps. Having easy access to your plan should help to take the guesswork out of your prescribed care routine. Keeping it in sight will also serve as a reminder of where you’re currently at with your condition based on your latest peak flow test.
Keeping up to date with your condition will help you to manage it. Regularly checking your care plan will keep you updated on the treatment and actions that you need to take. It’s important to keep an eye on the traffic light system. If the colour changes, it’s a clear sign to follow the specific clinical steps or lifestyle tweaks detailed by your provider.
Sharing your care plan with friends and family can help them to understand your condition. More importantly, it can help them to keep you safe. If you have an attack whilst they’re around, they’ll know what to do to help you. Asthma can have some debilitating effects, and a care plan is a great way of explaining these effects in a simple way that people who don’t have asthma can understand. Tell us what you want to hear.
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What is an asthma action plan?
Medically reviewed by
Alexandra Cristina Cowell, Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer
The point of an asthma action plan is that it’s completely personalized to you and your condition. It’s designed to help you as an individual, and you can take it with you when you go to visit your family doctor to be reviewed regularly.
The importance of an asthma action plan
Asthma is a lifelong condition, which means it can be managed but never cured. If you’re living with asthma then your plan is basically a handy guide to help you manage your everyday health. It should help to alleviate some worry if and when your symptoms flare up.
By following your asthma action plan you’ll lower the chances of worsening your condition. Asthma can be debilitating, but having a set plan to follow helps you to have more control over your life and your condition. It should simplify the steps that you need to take and let you safely participate in activities like exercise.
What details should it include?
What your asthma plan includes is down to you and the clinician that’s helping you to write it.
Some asthma plans include a type of traffic light system (red, yellow and green). The traffic light system is based on a peak flow test. A peak flow test is used to measure the severity of your asthma. It’s measured by how fast you can blow the air out of your lungs whilst using a peak flow meter.
Just like with asthma itself, peak flow readings can vary from person to person. This is why it’s important to determine your personal best peak flow reading. Your personal best peak flow reading is the highest reading that you can get with your condition. It’s measured by recording your readings for two to four weeks, twice a day. You’ll then need to write your results in a peak flow chart and share them with your clinician.
On the traffic light system, green means that your asthma has a good level of control. You get a green reading when your peak flow is between 80-100%. In green, asthma shouldn’t have too much of a negative effect on you. You should be able to fully take part in regular activities. When in the green zone, you’ll usually just stick to the everyday maintenance routine that you and your clinician have agreed on.
The yellow zone is a peak flow reading between 50-80%. You should proceed with caution, and follow the steps in your plan, which will let you know what adjustments to make or when it’s time to check in with a healthcare professional.
The red zone is when your peak flow reading is below 50%. This means that you need to seek urgent medical attention. This zone will tell you to follow your emergency clinical steps and to seek immediate, urgent medical care.
Does everyone with asthma need an asthma care plan?
Everyone who has asthma can benefit from a care plan. They’re designed to help you manage your condition so that you can get on with your day-to-day life. Care plans are made especially for you and put the focus on your condition and individual circumstances. An asthma action plan should help to reduce the risk of an asthma attack occurring and will help to keep you safe.
How do you get an asthma management plan?
In most cases, you’ll create this plan when you’re diagnosed with asthma. The plan will be created by you and your clinician. The plan will regularly be reviewed, and you can take it with you to all future appointments. If you have asthma, but don’t have a plan, speak with a clinician or asthma specialist for further information.
How can an asthma action plan help me?
Asthma action plans can help you to have a better understanding of your condition and what triggers your symptoms. It’ll also help to give you a level of control and potentially benefit your health. Taking regular peak flow readings can help you to be aware of the severity of your asthma. Depending on your readings, a clinician can review your care plan and suggest any necessary changes to your treatments or non-drug habits, like spotting and avoiding environmental triggers..
Above all else, an asthma management plan can help to give you confidence. The plan spells out clear, easy-to-follow clinical instructions for your prescribed management routine so you have something concrete to refer back to whenever you feel unsure.
How to use your asthma care plan
1. Keep it somewhere you'll see it
Managing your asthma can be a daily task, depending on its severity. If you keep your plan somewhere you can always see it, you’ll never be unsure of the next steps. Having easy access to your plan should help to take the guesswork out of your prescribed care routine. Keeping it in sight will also serve as a reminder of where you’re currently at with your condition based on your latest peak flow test.
2. Check it regularly
Keeping up to date with your condition will help you to manage it. Regularly checking your care plan will keep you updated on the treatment and actions that you need to take. It’s important to keep an eye on the traffic light system. If the colour changes, it’s a clear sign to follow the specific clinical steps or lifestyle tweaks detailed by your provider.
3. Share it with friends and family
Sharing your care plan with friends and family can help them to understand your condition. More importantly, it can help them to keep you safe. If you have an attack whilst they’re around, they’ll know what to do to help you. Asthma can have some debilitating effects, and a care plan is a great way of explaining these effects in a simple way that people who don’t have asthma can understand.
Reference Popover #ref1
Treated trusted source
Gibson, P.G. (2004).
Written action plans for asthma: an evidence-based review of the key components. Thorax, 59(2), pp.94–99
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.
