1. ASTHMA EDUCATION
Samuel Miihlbach and Amy Huebner
Youngstown State University

2. What is Asthma?
• Asthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways - the
tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs - to become
sore and swollen. In the United States, about 20 million
people have asthma. Nearly 9 million of them are
children. Children have smaller airways than adults, which
makes asthma especially serious for them. Children with
asthma may experience wheezing, coughing, chest
tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the
morning or at night.

3. Normal Airways Vs Asthma Airways

4. Controlling Asthma
 Know Asthma Triggers
 Medications
 Long Term Controllers
 Quick Relievers
 Self-Monitoring
 Peak Flow Monitoring
 Action Plan

5. Asthma Triggers
• Many things can cause asthma, including
• Allergens - mold, pollen, animals
• Irritants - cigarette smoke, air pollution
• Weather - cold air, changes in weather
• Exercise
• Infections - flu, common cold

6. Long Term Controller Medications
• Corticosteroids
• Leukotriene Modifiers
• Long-Acting Beta2-Agonists
• Theophylline
• Cromolyn Sodium and Nedocromil

7. Quick Reliever Medications
• Short-Acting Beta2-Agonists
• Anticholinergics
• Systemic Corticosteroids

8. Meter Dose Inhaler and Spacer Technique

9. Peak Flow Monitoring

10. Peak Flow Technique

11. Asthma Action Plan

12. Professional Literature
• Akinbami, L., Moorman, J., Bailey, C., Zahran, H., King, M., Johnson, C., and
Liu, X. ( May 2012). Trends in Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use, and Mortality
in the United States, 2001-2010. NCHS Data Brief. No.94. pages 1-3. Retrieved
from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db94.pdf
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. (2011). Asthma Overview. Available
from http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ( May 2012). CDC’s National Asthma
Control Program. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/nacp.htm
• Fanta, C., Carter, E., Stieb, E., and Haver, K. (2007). The Asthma Educator’s
Handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
• Healthy Homes Advisory Council for Greater Cleveland. (2011). Cuyahoga County
Healthy Home Initiative. Available from: http://healthyhomesac.org/
• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. (August 2008). Guidelines for Diagnosis
and Management of Asthma. Available from
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/index.htm
• National Library of Medicine. (September 2012). Asthma in Children. Available
from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthmainchildren.html