Publications
Partners
Asthma control is measured according to many factors. These include:
- Lung function
- Direct or indirect inflammation
- Missed work or school days
- Symptoms during the day
- Symptoms at night
- Symptoms during exercise or other activities
- Use of a quick-relief inhaler/rescue treatment and/or the use of a nebuliser
- Asthma exacerbations (episodes of progressively worsening shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness)
Test your asthma control
Answer the questions below as accurately as possible, as this will form the baseline against which you can measure your asthma control.
Read each question twice before answering and check whether the question refers to the ‘past month’, ‘past week’, ‘night’ or ‘day’. Your doctor can only guide you in managing your asthma once your level of asthma control has been established.
Question 1: How many times during the past month did you wake up at night due to asthma symptoms (shortness of breath, tightness of chest, wheezing, coughing)?
- None
- 1 or more times per month
Question 2: How many times during the past week did you have asthma symptoms (shortness of breath, tightness of chest, wheezing, coughing) during the day?
- None
- 1 or 2 times per week
- 3 or more times per week
Question 3: How often do you use your reliever pump or nebuliser (if applicable) in a week?
- None
- 1 or 2 times per week
- 3 or more times per week
Question 4: How many times have you received emergency treatment, or rushed to the doctor or hospital for treatment during the past 12 months?
- None
- 1 or more times per year
Question 5: Did your asthma affect or limit your usual activities (cleaning house, exercise etc) in any way?
- No
- Yes
If you’ve responded as follows, then your asthma is controlled:
Question 1 = None
Question 2 = None, or 1 or 2 times per week
Question 3 = None, or 1 or 2 times per week
Question 4 = None
Question 5 = None
If you haven’t responded as above, your asthma isn’t controlled. Speak to your doctor about improving your asthma control.
Reviewed by independent healthcare consultant Prof Praneet Valodia and pulmonologist Prof Elvis Irusen, Head of the Division of Pulmonology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University. October 2018.
