respiratory

Question 1

What are the symptoms of Step 1 and 2 of asthma therapy?

What is the treatment for the preferred track VS alternative track

Answer 1

symptoms less than 4 days a week for both

Preferred: ICS Formoterol as reliever

Alternative:
Step 1: SABA as reliever, ICS whenever SABA is taken

Step 2: Low dose ICS, SABA as reliever

Question 2

What are the symptoms for step 3 and 4 of asthma treatment?

What is the treatment for preferred and alternative track?

Answer 2

Step 3: symptoms on most days, waking up ≥ 1x a week
Treatment:
Preferred: Low dose ICS Formoterol for MART
Alternative: Low dose ICS LABA, SABA as reliver

Step 4: daily symptoms. waking with asthma ≥ 1x a week, low lung function eg. FEV1 < 60%
Treatment:
Preferred: Med - high dose ICS Formoterol for MART
Alternative: Med - high dose ICS LABA, SABA as reliever

Question 3

What do the colours in the written asthma action plan mean?

And what to do?

Answer 3

Green: no symptoms

Yellow: caution, asthma symptoms.
If have 3 or more in the past week (Waking at night due to asthma, Daytime asthma symptoms > 2x, Need reliever > 2x, Activity or exercise limited by asthma)
- Increase maintenance dose 1 puff BD -> 2 puffs BD
- Take OCS (prednisolone 30mg OM x 5D)
- If do not improve by 1-2 days, see doctor

Red: symptoms at rest, severe attack
Severe shortness of breath, can only speak in short sentence, frightened
- Take 2 puffs of Symbicort immediately
- Take OCS (prednisolone 30mg) immediately
- Call 995 if needed