Patient information
Asthma: your inhalers and action plan
This leaflet explains your asthma treatment and what to do if your asthma gets worse. Fill in your plan with your nurse or doctor.
My asthma plan
Name:
Diagnosis:
My treatment:
My inhaler(s) and how many puffs:
My best peak flow (if used): L/min
Next asthma review:
What is asthma?
Asthma makes the airways in your lungs sensitive and swollen. When something irritates them – a cold, pollen, smoke, cold air or exercise – they tighten and make extra mucus, causing wheeze, cough, chest tightness and breathlessness. Asthma can't be cured, but with the right treatment most people have few or no symptoms.
How your inhaler works
- Anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR): one inhaler that contains a steroid and a fast-acting reliever. You use it only when you have symptoms. Each puff calms the swelling as well as opening the airways.
- Maintenance and reliever therapy (MART): the same type of inhaler, taken every day at set times and whenever you have symptoms. You don't need a separate blue inhaler.
- Preventer and blue reliever: some people (including most children) take a preventer every day and a blue reliever when needed. Always keep taking your preventer, even when you feel well.
- Rinse your mouth or brush your teeth after steroid inhalers. Ask for your technique to be checked at every review – a spacer can help with spray inhalers.
Green – I'm well
No night waking, little or no need for extra puffs, doing normal activities. Keep taking my usual treatment.
Amber – my asthma is getting worse
Needing my reliever (or extra MART puffs) more than usual, waking at night, or a cold making me wheezy. Take my reliever as on my plan and book an urgent appointment with my GP or asthma nurse within 24–48 hours. If I use a steroid preventer on its own, my plan may tell me to increase it for a week.
Red – asthma attack
Reliever not helping, too breathless to talk, eat or sleep, lips blue, or peak flow under half my best. Call 999. Sit up, take slow steady breaths and keep using my reliever as my plan says while I wait.
Things that help
- Stop smoking and vaping, and avoid other people's smoke – ask about free NHS stop smoking support.
- Know your triggers and plan for them. On high pollution or pollen days, limit time outdoors near busy roads.
- Have the flu jab each year if offered.
- Tell us if symptoms are better on days away from work – your job may be a trigger.
- Take used inhalers back to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
More help: Asthma + Lung UK · helpline 0300 222 5800 · NHS: asthma