At planned follow-up visits, asthma patients should review level of control with their health care provider based on multiple measures of current impairment and future risk in order to guide clinician decisions to either maintain or adjust therapy.
EPR-3 Recommendation
The Expert Panel recommends that every patient who has asthma be taught to recognize symptom patterns and/or Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) measures that indicate inadequate asthma control and the need for additional therapy, and that control be routinely monitored to assess whether the goals of therapy are being met – that is, whether impairment and risk are reduced.
Control Assessment Tools
- Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ™) (12 and older)
- Asthma Control Test
- TRACK: Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids (under age 5)
- Asthma Therapy Assessment Questionnaire (pdf)
- Asthma Control Questionnaire
- Control poster (pdf)
Patient Handouts
- OCS-SABA Overuse (pdf)– This infographic helps asthma patients learn the connection between too many rescue medications (albuterol, prednisone, decadron) and poor asthma control, and what to do to get control of their asthma.
- Peak Flow Diary with instructions (pdf)
- Peak Flow Diary (pdf)
- Is Your Asthma Under Control? (pdf)
- Warning Signs and Symptoms (pdf)
- Asthma & Your Mouth
More Asthma Management Resources
- Classification and Management of Asthma in Infants and Children Under Age 5
- Classification and Management of Asthma in Children Age 5 to 11
- Managing Asthma in Children 12 Years of Age and Adults
- More Self-Management Resources
- Michigan Asthma Resource Kit – patient handouts
- National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute asthma guidelines and Guideline Implementation Panel messages