Types of Asthma

Asthma can fall into several categories.

The categories depend on:

• How bad the symptoms are
• How often you have symptoms

Treatment for your asthma depends on what category it is.

Asthma Symptoms

• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Feeling short of breath
• Feeling tightness in your chest

Mild intermittent asthma

• Daytime symptoms less than 2x per week
• Nighttime symptoms less than 2x per month
• Flare-ups that last between a few hours and a few days
• No symptoms in between flare-ups

Treatment

• Occasional rescue inhaler

Mild persistent asthma

• Daytime symptoms more than 2x per week but no more than 1x per day
• Nighttime symptoms more than 2x per month
• Flare-ups may affect normal activity

Treatment

• May be treated with low-dose controller medications and rescue inhaler as needed

Moderate asthma

• Daytime symptoms every day
• Nighttime symptoms more than 1x per week
• Flare-ups affect normal activity
• Flare-ups more than 2x per week
• Flare-ups last for days
• Need a rescue inhaler every day

Treatments

• Medium-dose controller medication
• Rescue inhaler as needed
• Biologic medicines (injections)

Severe asthma

• Constant daytime symptoms
• Frequent nighttime symptoms
• Frequent flare-ups
• Flare-ups interfere with physical activity

Treatments

• High-dose controller medications
• Biologic medicines (injections)
• Bronchial thermoplasty

Asthma Treatments

Prevention is key to avoiding triggers for asthma attacks and symptoms, but often, medicine is needed to keep asthma under control or to ease symptoms in a crisis.

Depending on how bad or how often symptoms are, treatments vary:

• “Rescue” medications, like an inhaler, for quick relief during an attack
• Medicines to control asthma symptoms over time, usually taken daily
• Allergy medicines to prevent flare-ups if allergies cause your symptoms
• Biologics as an add-on treatment for moderate-to-severe asthma
• A procedure called “bronchial thermoplasty” for severe asthma that doesn’t get better

Your clinician may prescribe a combination of treatments.

Asthma Attacks

• Sometimes called flare-ups or exacerbations
• When common symptoms like wheezing or shortness of breath get worse and worse, sometimes all of a sudden
• Can be mild to severe or even life-threatening

Uncontrolled Asthma

• Frequent symptoms or attacks that may interfere with routine activities
• May lead you to need a rescue inhaler often
• Might require visits to the emergency department or hospitalization
• Can occur when asthma is not controlled well enough, even with treatment
• Talk to your clinician if symptoms persist or worsen, or treatment does not seem to be working

Keys to Controlling Asthma

No matter what level of asthma you have, you can take steps to manage it.

• Know and avoid your triggers
  • Exercise
  • Chemical irritants
  • Allergens like pet hair, mold and pollution
• Make an asthma action plan so you’re prepared to handle an attack
• Track your symptoms and seek medical care if they get worse
• Follow your treatment plan
• Ask for help paying for medications if needed
• Make sure you understand how to take your medicines
• Get vaccinated against infections that can make asthma worse
  • Flu
  • Pneumonia
  • RSV
  • Covid-19
• Exercise safely and manage stress

Resources

Allergy & Asthma Network – Resources for Care and Support

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