Asthama First Aid.

By Manoj Kumar(hseguru@yahoo.in.Alstom University’s Certified HSE Professional).

Call an ambulance immediately.Dial:108(For India).

Asthma first aid steps

To use asthma first aid with a blue/grey reliever puffer.

Step 1: Sit the person upright

 Be calm and reassuring.

 Do not leave them alone.

Step 2: Give 4 separate puffs of blue/grey reliever puffer

 Shake the puffer.

 Put 1 puff into the spacer.
  Get the person to take 4 breaths from the spacer.
 Repeat until 4 puffs have been taken. (If you don’t have a spacer, give 1 puff as they
take 1 slow, deep breath and hold breath for as long as comfortable. Repeat until all
puffs are taken.)
 Remember: Shake, 1 puff, 4 breaths.

Step 3: Wait 4 minutes

 If there is no improvement, give 4 more separate puffs of blue/grey reliever, as with Step
2.

Step 4: If breathing does not return to normal, call triple zero (108) for an
ambulance

 Tell the operator that someone is having an asthma emergency.

 Keep giving the person 4 separate puffs, taking 4 breaths for each puff, every 4 minutes
until emergency assistance arrives.

Use of Puffer and Spacer:Asthma flare-up or attack

An asthma flare-up is a worsening of asthma symptoms and lung function compared to

what you would usually experience day to day. An asthma flare-up can come on slowly
(over hours, days or even weeks) or very quickly (over minutes).

A sudden or severe asthma flare-up is sometimes called an asthma attack. An asthma

attack can quickly become an asthma emergency, but if you take quick action, you can
reduce the risk of an asthma emergency.

If you or a family member have asthma, make sure you have an updated asthma action
plan from your doctor and know the 4 steps of Asthma First Aid.

Your doctor will:

 prescribe the correct medication.

 help you to develop a plan to manage your asthma.
 provide you with an action plan to manage your asthma and provide instructions in case
of an asthma flare-up.

Follow your asthma action plan if the symptoms of an asthma attack appear.

Signs that you need to use asthma first aid

If you are experiencing any of the following signs, follow your asthma action plan. If you
do not have an asthma action plan, or you are assisting someone who is experiencing
an asthma attack, start asthma first aid. Do not wait until asthma is severe.

Mild to moderate asthma signs:

  minor difficulty breathing
 able to talk in full sentences
 able to walk or move around
 may have a cough or wheeze.

Severe asthma signs (Call [108,For India] for an ambulance and

commence Asthma First Aid):

 obvious difficulty breathing

 cannot speak a full sentence in one breath
 tugging of the skin between ribs or at base of neck
 may have cough or wheeze
 reliever medication not lasting as long as usual.

Life-threatening asthma signs (call 108 ,For India or an ambulance and

commence asthma first aid):

 difficulty breathing (gasping for air)

 unable to speak one to 2 words per breath
 confused or exhausted
 lips are turning blue
 symptoms are getting worse very quickly
 collapsing
 getting little or no relief from reliever inhaler
 may no longer have wheeze or cough.

In asthma emergencies, follow your asthma action plan.

Call (108) immediately if:

 the person is not breathing

 their asthma suddenly becomes worse or is not improving
 the person is having an asthma attack and there’s no reliever medication available
 the person is unsure if it is asthma
 the person is known to have anaphylaxis. If this is the case, ALWAYS GIVE
ADRENALINE AUTOINJECTOR FIRST, and then reliever, even if there are no skin
symptoms.

Sources: From trusted medical websites.