Asthma Action Plans for Health Care Professionals
All people who have asthma should receive a written asthma action plan to guide their self-management efforts.
EPR-3 recommendation
The Expert Panel recommends that all patients who have asthma be provided a written asthma action plan that includes instructions for: (1) daily treatment (including medications and environmental controls), and (2) how to recognize and handle worsening asthma.
- Can be peak flow- or symptom-based, depending on needs of patient.
- Download the AIM pdf-based e-AAPs that include drop down menus for all asthma, GERD and allergy medications and dosages, in 3 versions: ages 0-4, school, adult.
Tips for better Asthma Action Plan Creation and Use
- Avoid using any medical abbreviations and write legibly
- Keep instructions brief and easy to read- have the patient/caregiver read the plan back to you or develop scenarios for them to answer to assure their understanding
- Consider adding option of doubling ICS or adding oral steroids in yellow zone.
- Be sure to list all steps you want them to follow to try to prevent an ED visit
- Instruct patients/caregivers to use the action plan when they have a cold and/or for exposure to a known trigger
- Be sure patients/caregivers understand how long to stay in the yellow or red zones before contacting the doctor's office or seeking emergency care, i.e. "Albuterol, 3 puffs every four hours for up to 24 hours, then contact the office"
- Include contact information for during and after office hours
- Be sure to assess your patient's understanding of the plan at every clinic visit. If the level of control changes, adjust plan as needed and review with patient/caregiver.
More Asthma Management Resources