New asthma review help
20 July 2004

A new resource to help people with asthma get the best from their GPs and to keep their symptoms under control has been launched by Asthma UK.

'Making the most of your asthma review' does pretty much what it says: it is a checklist for people with asthma to refer to when they visit their GP for an asthma review. It tells people what they can – and should – expect from the review, including the questions that their doctor or asthma nurse should be asking them in order to give them the best possible treatment.

An asthma review is an opportunity for people to discuss their asthma symptoms and medication with their GP or practice nurse. People whose asthma is well managed should have a review every year, but for those whose symptoms are not under control, or who have recently had a serious attack, more frequent reviews are recommended.

During a review, every patient should be asked three essential questions: whether they have had difficulty sleeping because of asthma symptoms; whether they have had their usual symptoms during the day; and whether asthma has interfered with day to day activities such as work or household chores.

'Making the most of your asthma review' has been launched to coincide with a new Asthma UK report 'Everyday asthma out of control?' which reveals that more than half a million people with asthma whose symptoms should be well controlled are suffering attacks almost every day.

However, a survey by the charity has shown that almost 50% of people with 'everyday' asthma are never or only occasionally asked by their GPs whether they had attacks; and for 40% of patients, an enquiry about symptoms is rare.

'This survey highlights the shocking state of affairs that people are still suffering in silence,' said Donna Covey, Asthma UK's Chief Executive. 'We found more than 3.5 million people still suffer debilitating symptoms that regularly restrict their daily activities when they should be living virtually symptom free.'

The 'Making the most of your asthma review' card will help to ensure that people with asthma have a better understanding of their condition and of their treatments and are able to maximise appointments with an often hard-pressed GP.

Professor Martyn Partridge, Chief Medical Adviser to Asthma UK added: 'It is very important that people with asthma have regular asthma reviews with their GP – no matter how busy they are – to discuss how asthma is affecting their life. They should work with them to devise a personal asthma action plan so that they can achieve greater control of their condition and ensure that they are not restricted by unnecessary symptoms.'

Lizzy Martenson, Asthma UK's Senior Health Promotion Officer, acknowledges that doctors are busy and under pressure. 'Part of our job at Asthma UK is to support healthcare professionals by providing effective information materials for them to use with people with asthma, so that they can offer the best possible care.'