"As a chronic respiratory disease, asthma has a long course and is prone to frequent recurrence, which requires long-term standardized treatment and management."
Dr. Wang Ying of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital said that asthma treatment needs to be managed throughout the process, not only need to go to a medical institution during an acute attack, but also have a clear understanding of their own condition and objective monitoring of self-symptoms to guide self-management. Compared with the role of doctors in the management of asthma, the role of patients themselves accounts for 80%.
As a very important means of self-monitoring of asthma patients, "asthma diary" can be a good way to help patients self-monitor, how to record, and what are the precautions, today to learn about it.
Essential instrument - peak flow rate meter
Dr. Wang Ying said that with regard to the recording of daily conditions, patients are often subjective, but subjective feelings are sometimes not sensitive or accurate, so an objective indicator is needed to help patients self-monitor.
Peak flow rate measurement can obtain such objective indicators, its principle is very simple, that is, a simple blow test, as the core of asthma diary records, the correct use of peak flow meters is also very critical:
1, choose the morning and evening two fixed time point test, because the peak flow rate will fluctuate within a day, and there will be differences at different time points.
2. Before each blow, the standard code is zeroed, and the average value is taken by 3 blows each time (in order to avoid error due to the method of blowing).
3. If the patient feels a change in symptoms throughout the day, it is recommended that the patient add a test, if the peak appears to drop significantly, it may be necessary to be vigilant for asthma attacks.
4, the essentials of blowing is like blowing candles, the key is to use the greatest strength, the fastest speed, with explosive force to blow out.
5, everyone's peak flow rate normal value is different, please consult a doctor before use, let the doctor give you a normal range according to the lung function measurement.
In addition to the day and night changes in peak flow rate values, the records of asthma diaries should also include: recording the environmental factors of the day, the weather is sunny, the humidity of the air, if the atmospheric pressure can be recorded, the best situation, low air pressure is a direct impact on asthma patients. There is also the need to record diet, exercise, work, life, and study, which are convenient for patients to find relevant factors in the subsequent symptom fluctuations and attacks. Especially in the spring allergy season, whether there is wheezing, holding breath, the symptoms of the disease and the incidence of the day should be recorded. Finally, the medication of the day, what medication was used, and what the dosage was.
These can help patients and doctors obtain relevant information, help to properly assess asthma severity, control levels, and response to treatment, summarize and analyze asthma attacks and treatment patterns, and select and adjust medications based on asthma diaries.
*Example
Dr. Wang Ying also suggested that when the patient subjectively appears wheezing, holding his breath, after measuring the peak flow rate found that it is 20% lower than his baseline value, it is necessary to cause vigilance, timely addition of emergency drugs, the general symptoms will be relieved in about half an hour, if the symptoms continue for 4-6 hours and still not relieved, you must seek medical treatment immediately.
Expert Profile Wang Ying
Doctor of Respiratory Medicine, attending physician of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, engaged in chronic airway disease research, participated in the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" and "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" National Key Research and Development Program and other topics.
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