![]() This is the highest value the patient can achieve under optimum conditions (free of symptoms, feeling well). The physician determines a green, a yellow and a red area for the patient's peak flow readings and determines the patients own personal best value. Self-assessment empowers patients to control their asthmatic illness in close co-operation with their physician. Make sure you keep your peak flow meter clean by washing it in warm soapy water every fortnight, rinsing with clean water and allowing it to dry naturally.The «traffic light scheme» allows a patient to self-assess measured values to follow the progression of the illness. Record only the best of the 3 readings as your peak flow rate in your peak flow chart.Blow into the meter as hard and as fast as you can for 2 to 3 seconds to empty your lungs (do not spit or cough into the meter).level with the floor) while carrying out the test. Place your lips tightly around the mouthpiece - keep the peak flow meter horizontal (i.e.Take in a big breath - make sure you are standing up straight.Attach the mouthpiece to the end of the peak flow meter.Here are some pointers to the correct use of your peak flow meter. Correct technique for using your peak flow meterĪsk your doctor or pharmacist to regularly check your technique for using your peak flow meter. If you don’t follow these measures, your peak flow scores may be unreliable, and could lead to you using the wrong amount of medicine, and your asthma being poorly controlled.Ĭhildren under 7 years old can’t always use a peak flow meter reliably, so doctors will usually recommend that their asthma be checked at home by watching and recording their asthma symptoms, rather than their peak flow. use the same effort when blowing into the meter and.take regular readings at the same time each day rather than one-off readings.Keeping peak flow measurements usefulįor peak flow measurements to be useful, you must always: If your peak flow is below 80 per cent of your personal best peak flow, and if your morning and evening peak flow scores differ by more than 15 per cent (assuming you are an adult), then your asthma is not being well controlled, and you need to adjust your medicine and see your doctor to help get back on track. Then, by following your doctor’s instructions on your asthma action plan - about how to increase your medicine and when to see your doctor - you should keep well, and have less chance of having a serious asthma attack. In this way, keeping a check on your peak flow rate can help you pick up changes in your asthma control and give early warning of a possible impending asthma attack. When your asthma control is worsening, often your peak flow will fall below your personal best peak flow before your usual asthma symptoms appear. more likely to have worsening of your asthma symptoms, which often happens when you feel a cold coming on, or have a major change like starting a new job or going on holidays.having asthma symptoms that are worse or more frequent than usual.It is especially important to check your peak flow when you are: Your doctor will help you decide whether you need to do this every day. Regularly checking your peak flow at home (usually on first waking and again in the evening) and recording it on a chart or graph, along with writing down your symptoms in a diary, forms the basis of your asthma action plan. ![]() In the week or so before any appointment with your doctor, it’s always a good idea to record your peak flow morning and evening, at the same times every day. find out how you respond to asthma medicines by asking you to record your peak flow both before and after taking your medicines.understand your asthma before deciding on your long-term asthma treatment and/or.Your doctor may also use these readings to: By writing down your peak flow on a chart as you go, you will have a set of readings that allows your doctor to work out your current personal best peak flow - a key part of your asthma action plan. ![]() To do this, your doctor may ask you to measure your peak flow rate at home, in the morning and the evening, over one or more weeks. More importantly, however, your doctor will want to find out the best possible peak flow that you can manage - your personal best peak flow - which will probably be different from an expected peak flow rate. Your doctor can read from a chart an expected peak flow rate for someone of your height, age and sex. Changes in your peak flow, compared to your best ever recorded (‘personal best’) peak flow, show changes in your asthma control: the lower your peak flow compared to your personal best peak flow, the more your airways are narrowed.
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