Fast Facts: Asthma for Patients and Supporters: Information + Taking Control = Best Outcome

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First, the facts ...
Contents

1. What is asthma?
Understanding your airways
Why me?
Different types of asthma
Severity of asthma

2. What causes asthma?
Risk factors
Triggers

3. What are the symptoms of asthma?
Wheezing
Coughing
Shortness of breath
Chest tightness
Mucus
Other symptoms

4. What are the tests for asthma?
Spirometry
Peak flow
Challenge testing
FeNO test
FOT
X-rays and other imaging
Allergy testing
Could my breathing difficulties be something else?

5. What medications are used to treat asthma?
Relievers
Preventers

6. Inhalers and spacers
Metered dose inhalers
Dry powder inhalers
Accuhaler (Diskus) technique
Same time every day
Do not run out
Keep your inhaler and spacer clean

7. Your Asthma Action Plan

8. How do I prevent an asthma attack?

9. How do I manage an asthma attack?
EpiPens
Hospital treatment
What is a nebulizer?
Difficult-to-control asthma
Are you taking your medication as prescribed?
Are you using your inhaler correctly?
What about exposure to triggers?
Are you smoking?
Does my child have difficult-to-control asthma?

10. Severe asthma
What is severe asthma?
What is the cause of severe asthma?
How is severe asthma diagnosed?
Different types of severe asthma

11. Treatment of severe asthma
Add-on treatments for severe asthma
Bronchial thermoplasty

12. How can I help myself?

13. Exercise-induced asthma

14. Occupational asthma
Asthma in older people

15. Asthma in pregnancy
How will pregnancy affect my asthma?
Can asthma be a problem during labor?
Should I have the flu vaccine during pregnancy?

16. Asthma in children
What do I do if I suspect my child has asthma?
What tests will my child need?
What treatment will my child receive?
What does my child’s school need to know?
What else can I do?
Useful online resources
Glossary
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