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Patients & Consumers Online Tools Find an Allergist / Immunologist Pollen Counts Diseases 101 Drug Guide Featured Resources » AAAAI Tips Brochures Topic of the Month Information Request Form Donate Now Constituencies » Patients & Consumers Contact Search by Condition (A-Z) Request a Speaker Smoke Free Homes Referral Guidelines Breakthroughs in Bioscience Other Resources En Español Just for Kids Seniors		Seniors and Asthma Be Prepared for an Asthma Emergency By Joan C. Gluck, MD June 2007 Asthma is a chronic disease with exacerbations and remissions. Today, with new medications, asthma can be better controlled, but unexpected stresses can still trigger an attack. It is important to always carry your rapid-acting bronchodilator (inhaler) so you can treat an attack quickly. The best way to deal with these episodes is to anticipate the possibility and prepare in advance. Keep the following items at hand: A list of current medications and dosages (remember to keep it updated); Your health insurance card; Names and phone numbers of physicians who know you; Address of the nearest medical facility and where to go after-hours; and A transportation plan and phone numbers of friends and relatives who can drive you to a medical facility in a prominent place near your phone. Keep copies of these lists in a small bag or folder that you can take with you, should you ever have to go to the emergency room. This will save time searching for the information and in checking in at the clinic or hospital. The best preparation for an asthma emergency is to ask your doctor for a treatment plan. This may include monitoring your breathing with a peak flow meter on a daily basis. The peak flow will vary with the time of day and how you feel, but by doing it repeatedly, you will come to know what your "best" is. This knowledge will help to alert you to increasing asthma symptoms, sometimes even before you can feel it. Your doctor will tell you what peak flow numbers comprise your "red", "yellow" and "green" zones and outline a treatment plan for each zone. He or she may prescribe extra medicines such as prednisone and albuterol with a nebulizer to use when you are in a certain zone. Knowing what to do and when will help you handle your asthma much more effectively. Be sure to get a flu shot every year when they become available, usually in the fall. If you do not receive a flu shot and are exposed to the flu, be aware that there are several medications that can be started in the first two days of flu symptoms which will lessen the severity of the disease. These medications must be prescribed by your doctor and may also be taken prophylactically in certain cases. By knowing your asthma disease status, your triggers and having an emergency action plan, you may be able to avoid a serious asthma emergency. Joan C. Gluck, MD, is a practicing allergist/immunologist in Miami, FL, and is a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). <back>
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