Getting a thought of having an asthma attack can be scary as hell. But if you are all prepped up to take on the attack, you probably wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. Here are some of the simple and easy tips which you could follow to gear up for an asthma attack at home.
Easy steps to prepare for an Asthma attack at home:
- Spot the symptoms of an asthma attack.
- Have your peak-flow meter with you and know how to determine peak flow changes and use them to estimate the probability of an asthma attack.
- Make sure you have all the medical supplies needed to tackle the asthma attack.
- Know the doses of all your medication, if you aren’t sure then make sure clarify it from the doctor and note them down.
- Have the list of medical emergency numbers on your phone/mobile.
Medical supplies that you will need to manage an Asthma attack at Home
In general having a rescue inhaler with you can do the job but sometimes you may require additional medications to treat the attack. Avoid continuous usage of the rescue inhaler if it does not lower your wheezing and other asthma attack symptoms. It is ok if you use a steroid inhaler like fluticasone, but avoid prolonged usage of bronchodilators (long acting beta 2 adrenoceptor agonists) such as salmeterol. If the medication does not seem to give you any relief, you should better be calling for a medical help asap.
Here is the list of recommended medical supplies you will need to manage the asthma attack
- An asthma inhaler (could be of any brand/type/recommended medication).
- Corticosteroid tablets, preferably Prednisolone for people who are on oral medication. Even if you are not on oral medication and if your inhaler does not constitute corticosteroid, you may take these tablets to reduce the inflammation during the asthma attack.
- A nebulizer to inhale the vapors and the medicine to go in it.
- An autoinjector of epinephrine (EpiPen/any other brand) to reduce the bronchospasm and to relieve allergic condition, if any (Corticosteroids also help in reducing allergic reaction which sometimes triggers asthma attack).
Following the above tips would help you feel safer and less anxious if you were to combat an asthma attack.
