Asthma is a common condition that affects your breathing. It cannot currently be cured, but if it’s well treated you should not have problems with symptoms.
What are the symptoms of asthma?
The main symptoms of asthma are problems with breathing, such as:
- wheezing
- coughing
- shortness of breath
- your chest feeling tight
Asthma symptoms can be mild or severe. They usually come and go. They may be worse at night and early in the morning.
An asthma attack is when you have severe symptoms and it’s difficult to breathe, which can be life-threatening.
Symptoms can be triggered by different things including exercise, high levels of air pollution, cold air, or contact with something you’re allergic to, such as pollen, dust, mould or animals.
Asthma usually starts in children, but it can happen at any age.
How do we diagnose asthma?
Asthma can take some time to diagnose because the symptoms often vary over time and breathing problems can have different causes. If you are worried you or your child has asthma please book an appointment with a Dr or ANP to discuss a possible asthma diagnosis.
You may need a simple breathing test to check for signs of asthma, and sometimes a blood test. ANP Joy carries out these tests in our practice.
You may also be given a handheld device called a peak flow meter to use at home for a few weeks, to check how well your lungs are working.
If it’s likely you have asthma, you may be offered asthma medicines to see if they help your symptoms.
How do we treat and manage Asthma?
Your care team will explain how and when to use your medicines, how to monitor your asthma, ways to avoid triggers and reduce your symptoms, and what to do if your symptoms get worse.
This will be recorded in your asthma action plan, which you’ll need to take to all your asthma appointments. You’ll be given a printed or digital copy, or both.
You should have check-ups at least once a year to see how well your treatment is working. These will include checking that you’re using your inhalers correctly and your asthma action plan is up to date. You can download an asthma plan below:
The preferred treatment in Portcullis patients for Asthma patients over the age of 12 is MART therapy
If you’ve just been diagnosed with asthma and you’re having regular symptoms, your GP will prescribe maintenance and reliever therapy (MART). MART is usually prescribed to adults (aged 12 and over). It may sometimes be prescribed to children aged 5-12 too.
Your GP or nurse may also prescribe MART if your asthma is not well controlled with other types of treatment, for example:
- an as-needed AIR inhaler
- a low-dose steroid preventer inhaler taken as prescribed
- a combination inhaler with a low-dose steroid preventer and long-acting bronchodilator (LABA).
Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (MART) is an asthma treatment plan where you use one combination inhaler instead of two separate preventer and reliever inhalers.
A MART inhaler has been shown to lower the risk of asthma symptoms and attacks.
It does this by:
- reducing inflammation in your airways
- preventing asthma symptoms such as breathlessness and a tight chest
- acting quickly to deal with symptoms or an asthma attack
- lowering your risk of an asthma attack or flare up where you need high doses of steroid tablets.
There are several types of combination inhalers you can use on a MART treatment plan.
These may be dry powder inhalers (DPIs), or metered dose inhalers (MDIs).
If your medicine comes in a MDI inhaler, use a spacer. This helps the medicine get to your airways. It also lowers your risk of common side effects.
PORTCULLIS ASTHMA PLAN
›GUIDE TO INHALERS USED BY OUR TEAM
The inhaler we use depends on the licensing rules for each inhaler.
PREFERRED INHALERS FOR 12-18 YEAR OLDS
›Symbicort 100/6 licenced for >12, 1–2 puffs twice daily
›DuoResp 160/4.5 licenced for >12, 1–2 inhalations twice daily
›Seretide Evohaler 125 and 250 and 500 licenced for >12 1–2 inhalations twice daily
›PREFERRED INHALERS FOR OVER 18 YEAR OLDS
›Symbicort 200/6 1–2 puffs twice daily
›Fostair NEXThaler 100/6 1–2 puffs twice daily, max 8
›Fostair NEXThaler 200/6 1–2 puffs twice daily, max 4
›LuFORBEC 100/6 1–2 inhalations twice daily; maximum 4 inhalations per day.
PREFERRED INHALERS FOR OVER 4 YEAR OLDS
›Flixotide Evohaler >4 years 50 micrograms one puff twice a day
>QVAR >5 years 50mcg 2 puffs twice a day
›Soprobec 50 micrograms >5years two puffs twice a day
›Dry Powder
›Flixotide Accuhaler >4 YEARS 50 micrograms one puff twice a day
› Pulmicort Turbohaler> 5 years 100 micrograms one puff twice a day
›Montelukast is also used for children and adults as a preventer
- Montelukast helps stop your airways from narrowing (caused by inflammation). This makes breathing easier and prevents asthma attacks.
- Most people take montelukast once a day in the evening.
- If you take it for asthma, it’s important to take it even when you have no symptoms.
- You’ll use montelukast alongside your inhalers or other asthma medicine.
›This is currently the only licensed LTRA.
›Dosage:
›• Adults and adolescents 15 years of age and older, 10 mg daily to be taken in the evening.
›• Paediatric patients 6 to 14 years of age 5 mg daily to be taken in the evening (chewable tablets are available).
›• Paediatric patients 2 to 5 years of age 4 mg daily to be taken in the evening (chewable tablets are available).
›• Paediatric patients 6 months to 5 years of age 4 mg daily to be taken in the evening (sachets of granules are available). The diagnosis of persistent asthma in very young children (6 months – 2 years) should be established by a paediatrician.