Asthma Action Plan and Peak Flow Diary
This page has been created to help you manage your asthma. It includes a peak flow diary for recording your daily readings, as well as space to note any symptoms you may experience. Asthma is a condition that can change unpredictably, either without warning or in response to known triggers, so regular monitoring is an important part of staying in control.
Symptoms to look out for are:
- Night-time wakening with wheeze, cough or trouble breathing
- Cough or wheeze on physical exertion
- Blue reliever inhaler is less effective than usual
- Fall in your peak flow reading
Asthma action plan
If you experience any of the listed symptoms and/or your peak flow drops to around 75% of your normal level, you should take your blue inhaler as needed and double your usual dose of preventer medication. If symptoms continue to worsen and/or your peak flow drops to around 50%, take Prednisolone (30–40mg once daily) until your peak flow returns to your normal level and continue for a further five days.
It is an emergency if:
- you have a very tight chest and finding it hard to breath
- you are unable to walk or talk properly
- your blue inhaler does not help
- our peak flow is under 33% of the advised range
Call 999 for an ambulance.
If possible, let someone know you are unwell. Continue to take your blue inhaler until help arrives.
Try to stay as calm as possible.
How to use your peak flow meter
- Set the marker to zero
- Stand, holding the meter straight out in front of your mouth
- Take a deep breath in
- Seal your lips around the mouthpiece
- Blow out hard and fast into the meter
- Write down the reading of the marker
- Repeat the sequence twice more
- Record the highest of the 3 readings