Improving self-care in adults with asthma using peak expiratory flow rate home monitoring.

Asthma management is based on step therapy incorporated into an individualized patient treatment plan. Medication selection is based on differing degrees of asthma severity. With proper assessment of the patient and a severity level incorporating the patient's needs, a clinician can create a credit card treatment plan for each patient. The assessment should include both PEFR and symptom monitoring as a means of incorporating the CDC's severity guidelines and treatment options into the credit card plan. Evaluation of technique, review of home monitoring outcomes, and reinforcement during clinic visits is likely to be helpful for those patients who do home monitoring. Note, however, that not all patients should be treated using this self-management approach. Asthma associated with comorbidities may be a reason to manage patients more closely either by clinic visit or telephone. Asthma in both older and pregnant patients presents issues of drug safety (Evans, Brown, & Morain, 1997). The common comorbidities of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sinusitis, GERD, cardiovascular disease and diabetes present unique issues of difficulty of diagnosis and drug safety. By following individualized asthma management plans, patients should be able to achieve prevention or reduction of chronic symptoms. They should also notice an improvement in physical activity, the reduction or elimination of exacerbations and improved overall satisfaction.