AN ASTHMA ACTION PLAN IS A TREATMENT PLAN THAT HAS
BEEN TAILORED FOR YOU1
Asthma Action Plans are a personalised set of instructions that describes:1,2
How to recognise
an asthma attack
and what to do
How to identify
allergens or
irritants to avoid
Which medicines to take and
when to take them
When to call your
doctor or go to the
emergency room
Who to contact
in an emergency
Your doctor will work with you to develop your Asthma Action Plan, which can be printed, digital or pictorial.1
CREATE AN ASTHMA
ACTION PLAN
Asthma Action Plans are based on your personal best peak flow, which is how much air flows out of your lungs.1,3 This can be measured using devices such as a peak flow meter.3
If you’re not using an Asthma Action Plan yet, it’s easy to get started. Print out the Asthma Action Plan template and take it to your doctor so that you can work together to fill it out.
Your plan contains three zones that reflects the state of your asthma and the actions to take:4
Symptoms
Peak flow
Action
Green zone
Asthma is well controlled
Symptoms
You experience no symptoms and
can do all your usual activities
Peak flow
≥80% of personal best
Action
Continue taking your regular controller medication
Yellow zone
Asthma is getting worse
Symptoms
You experience some symptoms,
wake up at night or can’t do all your
usual activities
Peak flow
≥80% of personal best
Action
Use your quick-relief and controller medications, and check your symptoms regularly
Red zone
Medical alert
Symptoms
You have lots of trouble breathing, can’t do any of your usual activities, quick-relief medications aren’t helping or you have been in the yellow zone for 24 hours with no improvement
Peak flow
<50% of personal best
Action
Call your doctor or 995 immediately
Your plan contains three zones that reflects the state of your asthma and the actions to take:4
Symptoms
Peak flow
Action
Green zone
Asthma is well controlled
Symptoms
You experience no symptoms and
can do all your usual activities
Peak flow
≥80% of personal best
Action
Continue taking your regular controller medication
Yellow zone
Asthma is getting worse
Symptoms
You experience some symptoms,
wake up at night or can’t do all your
usual activities
Peak flow
≥80% of personal best
Action
Use your quick-relief and controller medications, and check your symptoms regularly
Red zone
Medical alert
Symptoms
You have lots of trouble breathing, can’t do any of your usual activities, quick-relief medications aren’t helping or you have been in the yellow zone for 24 hours with no improvement
Peak flow
<50% of personal best
Action
Call your doctor or 995 immediately
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ASTHMA ACTION PLAN
Keep it where you can see it5
Keep your Asthma Action Plan where it’ll be the easiest for you to find such as on your fridge, with your medicines or a digital copy on your phone. That way you can quickly access it when you need it.
Check it once a month5
Set a reminder on your phone or calendar to check your Asthma Action Plan and ensure that you know what to do if your symptoms get worse.
Take it with you to all your asthma appointments5
It’s important to keep your Asthma Action Plan up to date so you should take it along to all your asthma appointments including any out-of-hours appointments and emergency visits.
Share it with others5,6
Consider sharing your Asthma Action Plan with those close to you such as family, friends, co-workers and fitness coaches so that they know what to do if you have an asthma attack.
For parents of children with asthma, you might give a copy to your child’s teachers, school nurse, babysitters or any other carers at home.
- GINA. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention, 2022. Available at: https://ginasthma.org/gina-reports/. Accessed November 2022.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Treatment and action plan, 2022. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/asthma/treatment-action-plan. Accessed November 2022.
- AAAAI. Peak flow meter 2020. Available at: https://www.aaaai.org/Tools-for-the-Public/Conditions-Library/Asthma/Peak-Flow-Meter. Accessed November 2022.
- CDC. Asthma action plan, 2022. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/actionplan.html. Accessed November 2022.
- Asthma+ Lung UK. Your asthma action plan, 2020. Available at: https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/manage-your-asthma/action-plan/. Accessed November 2022.
- KidsHealth. What’s an asthma action plan? 2017. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/action-plan.html. Accessed November 2022.
GSK is not responsible for third-party website content.
NP-SG-ASU-WCNT-230002. April 2023.
