|
Many people believe their asthma attacks are completely unpredictable.
Fortunately for most people this is untrue. This example highlights
how monitoring with the Asthma Assistant could help you to spot
the signs of an oncoming attack.
Case Study
Name: David
Age: 53 years
Background
David developed asthma for the first time when he was 51. Since
then he has been in hospital three times with bad asthma attacks.
In between these attacks he says he is very well and gets no warning.
David. s doctor recommends he monitor his asthma at home just to
see if his attacks are predictable in any way.
Monitoring With the Asthma Assistant
David monitored his asthma using the 'Basic Daily Card'. A section
of his 'Monthly Basic Report' is shown below. It illustrates the
run up to an asthma attack David suffered during the time he was
monitoring his condition.
David has a bad asthma attack on 18th May 1999. This
is illustrated on his report shown above. His morning peak flow
on this date is only 57% of his personal best value (yellow zone)
and by the evening it is even worse at only 42% (red zone). In addition,
he suffers breathlessness, wheezing and chest tightness and rates
his asthma as 'Bad'. The five days before the attack, he notes no
symptoms, rates his asthma as 'Good' and does not use his reliever
medication. However, you can see from the peak flow bar chart and
tabular data that his peak flow readings show a gradual decline
for the two days preceding the attack of 18th May: this
was David. s warning.
David also monitored his medication in detail using the 'Additional
Daily Card'. He then printed out the corresponding 'Monthly Additional
Report'. A section of this is shown below.
David was taking his regular Becotide 100 preventer for the four
days before the attack. On the 18th May the doctor changed
him to a stronger preventer inhaler, Becloforte 250 six puffs a
day. In addition, the doctor prescribed him a short course of 10
steroid tablets daily. If you use these reports together as recommended,
you can see that the preventer used in the 'Basic Daily Report'
is 16 for each day 18th to 22nd May. This
is calculated from the 6 puffs of becloforte and 10 steroid tablets
each day as both are preventer medications. The program calculates
this total automatically. Doses/puffs of reliever used each day
as shown on the 'Basic Daily Report' are similarly calculated from
the addition of the number of Ventolin 100 and Ventolin Nebules
(both relievers) used each day.
Summary
This example shows how useful home monitoring with the Asthma Assistant
could be in preventing a bad asthma attack. David's warning sign
for this particular attack was a gradual decline in morning and
evening peak flow for 2 days before the attack. By responding to
this drop in peak flow (or any other warning signs), either by consulting
his doctor or following his self-management plan, such an attack
may be prevented in the future.
|
Please Note:
This is just an hypothetical example. Asthma can be very different
from one person to another and even in one person at different
times. Always get to know your own asthma. Always work closely
with your doctor and nurse who are essential in educating
you about your condition.
|
|
