Self-Management of asthma

›The UK has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world

›The UK has the highest rate of death in Europe from asthma in children and young people

What causes asthma?

People with asthma have sensitive airways. When these airwaves becomes sensitive, they become swollen, making symptoms even worse. There are common triggers of asthma your child you should avoid. Please note that your child might not be affected by all of these.

• Tobacco and other smoke
• Strong sprays and odors
• Colds
• Exercise-induced asthma
• Weather, such as cold air
• Pet dander
• Cockroaches and rodents
• Dust and dust mites
• Indoor molds
• Pollen and outdoor molds

Portcullis Surgery is currently undergoing a review of all our patients with asthma in line with new recommendations.

• If you are over the age of 12 and have a diagnosis of asthma, (even mild asthma) you are likely to be asked to switch to a Combination inhaler (which has a preventative medicine aswell as a reliever medicine).

This is a new recommendation by GINA (Global initiative for asthma) published in 2019, based on the results of some large research studies.

“For people with mild asthma (for example with asthma symptoms a few times a week or less often) taking one of these combination reliever inhalers (controller AND formoterol) whenever you have asthma symptoms gives just as good protection from asthma attacks as taking a regular daily controller”

• You will also be offered a written asthma plan at your next review

MOST PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA NEED TWO KINDS OF MEDICINE.

1. Preventive medicines (“controllers”) protect the lungs & keep asthma attacks from starting.

They reduce the swelling and mucus in your airways.
Controllers contain a low dose of an inhaled corticosteroid. These medicines are extremely safe as, at usual doses, only very small amounts are absorbed from the lung. They are sometimes combined in the same inhaler with a long-acting reliever-type medicine. Controller medicines are sometimes increased when your asthma symptoms get worse. Your doctor will tell you if your controller inhaler can be adjusted in this way.

2. Quick-relief medicines (“relievers”) are used to relieve asthma symptoms when they occur.

In the past, most reliever inhalers contained only a “bronchodilator” medicine.
These relieve your asthma symptoms but they do nothing to reverse the inflammation (swelling) in your airways that is causing the increased symptoms. It’s like taking a pain killer for a toothache – the pain goes away but you still have a cavity. If your reliever inhaler contains only a bronchodilator medicine, you should also be taking a regular daily controller inhaler to protect you from having asthma attacks.

3. Some reliever inhalers contain both a low dose controller AND a quick-relief long-lasting medicine called formoterol.

They can be used both to relieve your symptoms and as your controller inhaler taken every day, to protect you from having asthma attacks.

If you are over the age of 12 and have a diagnosis of asthma, (even mild asthma) you are likely to be asked at your next review to switch to a Combination inhaler (which has a preventative medicine aswell as a reliever medicine).

To read more about this change please read the helpful leaflet below

https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GINA-Patient-Guide-2021-copy.pdf

Types of Inhalers

Examples of asthma plans for you to download below

Adult asthma plan

Child Asthma plan

MART Over 12 Asthma plan

Peak flow diary 

Peak flow diary