Treatment Overview

An asthma action plan is a written plan that tells you how to treat your asthma on a daily basis. The plan also helps you deal with sudden increases in your or your child's asthma symptoms (asthma attacks). You need to treat the inflammation in your lungs to minimize the long-term effects of asthma. The plan tells you what medicine is needed every day, what steps to take for an asthma attack (based on its severity), and when you should call a doctor or seek emergency treatment.

You and your doctor make the asthma action plan. In general, the plan includes:

• Treatment goals, which include your personal goals about your asthma.
• When to take the medicines you need daily to control airway inflammation.
• How to measure your peak expiratory flow (PEF) with a peak flow meter.
• What medicine to take and what steps to follow to deal with an asthma attack.
• An asthma diary, where you can record your PEF values and the triggers that cause your symptoms.

Your action plan is based on zones of asthma severity defined by symptoms and your personal best peak expiratory flow (PEF), which is your highest peak flow recorded over a 2- to 3-week period when your asthma is under control. Personal best is never measured during an asthma attack. If you do not know your personal best, talk to your doctor.

• Green zone. Green means go. You are in the green zone of the asthma action plan if your peak expiratory flow is 80% to 100% of your personal best measurement. You want to be in the green zone every day. You should have no asthma symptoms when you are in the green zone. And you do not need quick-relief treatment. To figure 80% of your personal best peak flow, multiply your best flow by 0.80. For example, if your personal best flow is 400, multiplying by 0.80 gives you 320.
• Yellow zone. Yellow means caution. You are in the yellow zone of your asthma action plan if your peak expiratory flow is 50% to 79% of your personal best measurement. You may not have any symptoms, but your lung function is reduced. When you have symptoms, they may be mild to moderate, or they may keep you from your usual activities or disturb your sleep. Your action plan should state which quick-relief medicines you need to take, how much to take, and when to take them. To figure 50% of your personal best peak flow, multiply your best flow by 0.50. For example, if your personal best flow is 400, multiplying by 0.50 gives you 200.
• Red zone. Red means STOP. You are in the red zone of your asthma action plan if your peak expiratory flow is less than 50% of your personal best measurement. Your symptoms may be severe, and you may have extreme shortness of breath and coughing. If your symptoms and peak expiratory flow are in the red zone, seek medical help immediately. While you are seeking emergency help, follow your action plan and take your medicines as directed. You may need emergency treatment or admission to a hospital.

The best strategy for avoiding and treating asthma attacks is being able to recognize an attack and know what to do. Talk to your doctor about:

• Your triggers. Asthma triggers are substances that can cause an attack, such as pollen or cigarette smoke. Avoiding your triggers can help reduce your risk of an attack and reduce its severity.
• Your symptoms. In general these include a drop in your peak expiratory flow (PEF) and more severe coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in your chest. The symptoms may vary from one person to another.
• Which quick-relief medicines you need to take and how to take them.
• How to evaluate whether your quick-relief medicines are working.
• When emergency care is needed. If you have a large drop in PEF, your quick-relief medicines are not working, or you are very short of breath, you may need emergency care. Your doctor will help you learn about these signs.
• A possible pregnancy. If you are pregnant, you may have other options for asthma medicines. During an attack, your doctor may also ask that you monitor your fetus's activity by noting a change in fetal kicks.

See an example of an asthma action plan (What is a PDF document?).