FOR PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA
Some people with asthma need to record their peak flow (a measurement of their lung function) as well as being guided by their symptoms (how their asthma makes them feel). For example, your doctor or asthma nurse might advise you to measure your peak flow
- to help find out whether you have asthma
- to help you identify your asthma triggers, or
- to help you recognise when your asthma is getting worse.
Your doctor or asthma nurse will tell you if you need to measure your peak flow.
If you measure your peak flow, our research has shown that it is important that you use the same type of chart every time. This will make it easier for you and your doctor to recognise the pattern of your own asthma, and how it changes over time or with asthma treatment.
A peak flow chart has been developed by Dr Helen Reddel and colleagues at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and the Asthma Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The chart was designed to make it easy for you to record your peak flows. It was also designed to make it easy for you to tell when your peak flow is getting better or worse, or is outside your own usual range. There are two versions of the chart, one for 2 months, and one for 12 months.
This research was funded by Asthma Foundation NSW and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. If you would like to read the research paper that describes why the type of peak flow chart is important, you can access it free of charge here.
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