Feb 2018/EM//GM/RESP

BreathingnormallyNowheezeCantalkfullsentencesFeelyournormalself

NORMAL

BreathingalittlefastMildwheezeSpeakingfullsentencesCaneatanddrinknormally

MILD

BreathingisdifficultModeratewheezeShortsentencesorwordsTooshortofbreathtoeat/drinkTiredandagitated

MORESERIOUS

Noneedfortreatment

Checkyourselfagainin4hours,orsoonerifyoufeelunwell.Usethesamesignsabove

2puffsoftheblueinhalerthroughthespacerdevice,repeatedasnecessary

Checkyourselfagainin2hours,orsoonerifyoufeelunwell.Usethesamesignsabove

2-4puffsofblueinhalerthroughthespacerdevice.Repeatedasnecssary.

ComebacktotheEDorseeyourfamilydoctorCheckDANGERSIGNS

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ASTHMA PATIENT INFORMATION

DANGERSIGNS-Callanambulance&cometotheEmergencyDepartmentDANGERSIGNS-Callanambulance&cometotheEmergencyDepartmentIfyou:Ifyou:

• arebreathingfastorlaboured• looseconsciousness• donotrespondnormally• aretootiredtobreathenormally• canonlyspeakafewwordsatatime

• areagitatedandnotabletocalmdown• aretoobreathlesstospeakfullsentences• donotgetanyrelieffromusingyourinhaler• areneedingyourinhalermorethanevery2hrs

DIAL111foranAMBULANCEGive10puffsoftheblueinhalerevery20minutesasneeded,untiltheambulancearrives

DIAL111foranAMBULANCEGive10puffsoftheblueinhalerevery20minutesasneeded,untiltheambulancearrives

Important:MakesurethatyourfamilyknowsthedangersignsIfyougetintroubletheyneedtoknowhowtoringanambulance

WHATTODOWHENYOUGETHOME

Inthenexthours/days:usethesignsbelowtodecidehowbadyourasthmais,thenfollowtheinstructionsbelowtheboxwhereyouthinkyouare.

Whentogotothefamilydoctor:ItisimportantthatyouseeyourGPforareviewwithinthenextweekevenifyoudogetbetter.ItwillbeachanceforyoutotalkwithyourGPaboutyourlongtermasthmamanagementAsyourbreathingimprovesyouwillneedyourinhalerlessandless.

Whentoseeyourfamilydoctorsooner:Ifyouarestillwheezytwodaysafterleavingthehospital

Ifyouhavebeenneedingtheblueinhalerevery4hoursormoreoftenfortwoconsecutivedaysIfyoursleepisdisturbedbecauseofyourAsthma

7.7.

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Feb 2018/EM//GM/RESP

ASTHMA

Asthmaisachronicillness.Thepatientgetsrecurrentattacksofbreathlessness(shortnessofbreath)andwheezing.Somepatientshavemildsymptoms,othercanbesevereofevenlifethreatening..

WhathappensduringanAsthmaattack?

Theairwaywallswells,themusclesintheairwaywalltighten,andthereisanincreaseinmucousintheairway.

Wheezingisamusicalwhistlingsoundwithbreathing,usuallyasyoubreatheout.Itcomesfromthechest–notthenoseorthroat.

INHALERS

Relievers:Yourblueinhalerisareliever.Itisusedduringawheezyepisode.Itworksbyrelaxingtightenedairwaymuscles.Thishelpstoreducewheezeandrelievebreathingdifficulty.(IfyouhaveaSymbicortSMARTturbuhaler,youcanusethisasarelieverwhenwheezy)

Preventers:Theseworkbyreducingtheswellingintheairwaywall.Thatmeanstheycanhelppreventwheezyepisodesfromhappening.Theyneedtobetakenregularlytobeeffective.

Therearemanydifferenttypes/coloursofinhalers.Whenyouaretakingapreveter,youmightalsobeprescribedareliver,butifyouaretakingsymbicortSMART,youwillhaveonlyoneinhaler.

WhatisSymbicortSMART:YourdoctororClinicalNurseSpecialistwilldecideifSymbicortSMARTisforyou.ThisisamedicationthatcontainsBOTHthepreventerandrelieverinoneinhaler.Itisapreventer,thatyoucanalsousewhenyouhaveawheezyepisode.

Thatmeansthetreatmentissimpler,butitisonlyrightforcertainpatients.Pleasemakesurethatyoureadthepackageinsertcompletely.Ifyouneedit,youcantakeupto6extradosesperday.Ifyoufeelthatyouneedmorethanthat-itisasignthatyouneedtoseeadoctorimmediately.

Foravideoonhowtousetheinhalerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpe7TLMswOIhttps://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/how-to-videos/using-your-turbuhaler

SPACERSTheMDItypeofinhalersarebestusedwithaspacer.Thespacerhelpsthedrugsgetdeepdownintothelungswheretheycanwork.Youdonotneedtouseaspacewithaturbohaleroraccuhaler.

Usingyourspacer

• Situpright.Shaketheinhaler• Placetheinhalerinthespacerdevice• Placethespacermouthpieceinyourmouthandsealyourlipsaroundit• Pressontheinhaleroncetodeliverthedose• Take5deepbreaths.Makesurethatthevalveshutterswitheachbreath• Removetheinhalerfromthespacerandshakeitinbetweeneachdose

REMEMBER:Foreachpuffordoseyoumusttake5fullbreaths

Howtocareforyourspacer

Allyouneedtoknowabouthowtocareforyourspacerisoutlinedintheinformationsheetinthespacerbox.Makesureyoureaditcarefully.Ifyoudonotlookafteryourspacerthedrugsintherelieverpuffermightnotgettothelungswhereitneedstowork

Where to get more informationWhere to get more information• Your family doctor or after hours medical centre• Health line 0800 611 116

• http://asthmafoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/AsthmaSelfManagementPlan08_final.pdf

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