This document provides information about asthma, including what it is, risk factors, common triggers, and steps for managing it. Asthma is a disease that causes airway swelling and narrowing, with symptoms like trouble breathing, wheezing and coughing. There is no cure, but it can be controlled. The key steps for management include working with a doctor to create an asthma action plan, monitoring symptoms, understanding medications, identifying triggers to avoid, learning self-management skills, and knowing when to use rescue inhalers or call for emergency help during an attack.

1. My Asthma Action Plan
Source:http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/1115/p1
242.html
Customize your action plan with
your doctor to help:
 Tracking asthma symptoms
 Record peak flow device
results, which is a device to
measure your lung capacity.
 Identify your zone and actions
to take
 Adjust medications by your
doctor
 Know when to call 911
 Avoid asthma triggers
For more information
on controlling asthma
please visit the
American Lung
Association’s website at
www.lung.org
Pamphlet adapted from the American
Lung Association:
Asthma. American Lung Association.
http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-
diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/.
Accessed December 3, 2015.
Created by Dien Vu, PharmD Candidate
2016.
Asthma Education
What is asthma?
 Asthma is a disease that
causes breathing airways to
swell and narrow.
 Some symptoms include
trouble breathing, wheezing,
and coughing.
 There is no cure, but you can
control your asthma and
prevent attacks!
Source:http://life.familyeducation.com/illness/a
llergies/56918.html

2. What are risk factors of
asthma?
 If it runs in your family
 Allergies
 Overweight
 Smoking
 Exposure to toxic fumes and
chemicals
 Viral lung infections
What causes asthma?
Know your asthma triggers!
 Dust mites, cockroach,
pollens, molds, pet hair
 Air pollutants (cigarette
smoke, wood fire, fumes, etc.)
 Breathing diseases (cold, flu,
sinus infection, etc.)
 Exercise
 Weather change
 Strong emotion (anger,
laughter, fear, etc.)
 Medicines sensitivity
What are the action steps to
manage asthma?
1. Ask your doctor if you have
any questions about asthma.
2. Work with your doctor to
make an Asthma Management
Plan.
3. Monitor your symptoms and
take control of asthma.
4. Understand your asthma
medications and how they
work.
5. Try to identify and avoid your
asthma triggers.
6. Learn about asthma and self-
management skills. There are
asthma online courses
provided by American Lung
Association.
7. If your children have asthma,
work with your doctor to
educate your children on how
to keep asthma under control.
What to do during an
asthma attack?
Use rescue
inhaler.
If no relief, it is a
life-threatening
emergency.
Call 911 if
Pale face, difficult
breathing, blue lips or
fingers, or red zonein
Asthma Action Plan.