Signs You’re Living with Uncontrolled Asthma

Slide 1:

Hed: Is Your Asthma Under Control?

Dek: When asthma is under control, daily life is better. Here’s what to look for and what to do next.

Slide 2:

Uncontrolled asthma disrupts life

Asthma is a chronic condition. It can’t be cured, but the right treatment can keep symptoms under control.

For most people, well-controlled asthma doesn’t interfere with normal activities. But when asthma is uncontrolled, it:

• Interrupts daily life
• Is difficult to manage
• Can have long-term effects on your health

Slide 3:

Sign 1: Frequent symptoms despite treatment

Think about how often you have asthma symptoms. If you’re taking medication as prescribed by your care team, symptoms shouldn’t be frequent.

Do you experience symptoms more than twice a week?

Are they difficult to manage?

Does asthma wake you up at night?

Those are signs of uncontrolled asthma.

Slide 4:

Severe attacks or hospitalization

Uncontrolled asthma can lead to severe attacks.

Two or more asthma attacks requiring oral steroids within a year
Being hospitalized more than once in the past year because of an asthma attack

Those are signs of uncontrolled asthma.

Slide 5:

Ask yourself these questions

Do you have symptoms or use an inhaler more than 2x per week?

Do you wake up with symptoms more than 2x per month?

Do you refill your inhaler more than 2x per year?

If you answer “Yes” to just one question, talk to your clinician.

Slide 6:

Identifying flare-ups

Even with well-controlled asthma, flare-ups happen.

Exercise, especially in dry, cold air, is a trigger.

Exposure to irritants (like dust, gases or chemical fumes) or allergens (like pollen or pet dander) can cause symptoms.

If you have flaring symptoms without a trigger, talk to your clinician.

Slide 7:

Track your symptoms

If you’re not sure whether your asthma is uncontrolled, track your symptoms. Note when they happen and how severe they are. Show this record to your clinician.

Slide 8:

Watch out for care gaps

Even with signs of uncontrolled asthma, there can be care gaps that can mean your condition doesn't get treated the right way.

Care gaps are worse for non-white patients. And, Black and Hispanic patients already have a higher risk of uncontrolled asthma. Advocate for yourself to get the best care.

Slide 9:

What about severe asthma?

Getting better treatment for uncontrolled asthma should reduce symptoms so your daily life isn’t interrupted. If you make the recommended changes but symptoms don’t improve, you may have severe asthma. You’ll need to be referred to a specialist, such as a pulmonologist or allergist, for a diagnosis and personalized treatment plan.

Slide 10:

Getting asthma under control

If you have symptoms of uncontrolled asthma, talk to your clinician right away. After evaluation, they’ll discuss options like increasing dosage, trying a different medicine or adding another medicine, like a biologic, in.

Don’t wait: Get your asthma under control so you can get back to enjoying life.

This educational resource was created with support from Sanofi and Regeneron.