Slide 1:
Hed: Is your asthma under control?
Ten: When asthma is controlled, daily life is better. Here’s what to look for and what to do next.
Slide 2:
Uncontrolled asthma affects life
Asthma is a chronic disease. There is no cure, but proper treatment can keep symptoms under control.
For most people, well-controlled asthma does not interfere with normal activities. But when asthma is uncontrolled, here’s what happens:
- Interrupts everyday life
- Is difficult to handle
- May have long-term effects on your health
Slide 3:
Sign 1: Common symptoms despite treatment
Think about how often you have asthma symptoms. If you take the medications prescribed by your care team, symptoms should not occur frequently.
Do you experience symptoms more than twice a week?
Are they difficult to handle?
Does asthma wake you up at night?
These are signs of uncontrolled asthma.
Slide 4:
Severe seizures or hospitalization
Uncontrolled asthma can lead to severe attacks.
Two or more asthma attacks requiring oral steroids within a year
More than one hospitalization in the past year for an asthma attack
These are signs of uncontrolled asthma.
Slide 5:
Ask yourself these questions
Do you have symptoms or do you use an inhaler more than twice a week?
Do you wake up with symptoms more than twice a month?
Do you refill your inhaler more than twice a year?
If you answer “yes” to just one question, talk to your doctor.
Slide 6:
Recognize flare-ups
Even with well-controlled asthma, flare-ups occur.
Exercise, especially in dry, cold air, is a trigger.
Contact with irritants (such as dust, gases, or chemical fumes) or allergens (such as pollen or animal dander) can cause symptoms.
If you experience acute symptoms without triggers, talk to your doctor.
Slide 7:
Track your symptoms
If you’re not sure whether your asthma is uncontrolled, track your symptoms. Note when they occur and how severe they are. Show this recording to your doctor.
Slide 8:
Watch out for gaps in supply
Even if there are signs of uncontrolled asthma, there may be gaps in care that may result in your condition not being properly treated.
Gaps in care are worse for non-white patients. And black and Hispanic patients are already at higher risk for uncontrolled asthma. Commit to the best care.
Slide 9:
What about severe asthma?
Better treatment for uncontrolled asthma should relieve symptoms so that your everyday life is not affected. If you make recommended changes but symptoms don’t improve, you may have severe asthma. You will need to be referred to a specialist, such as a pulmonologist or allergist, for a diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan.
Slide 10:
Get asthma under control
If you have symptoms of uncontrolled asthma, talk to your doctor immediately. After the assessment, they discuss options such as increasing the dosage, trying a different drug, or adding another drug, such as a biologic.
Don’t wait: get your asthma under control so you can enjoy life again.
This educational resource was created with support from Sanofi and Regeneron.