There are four categories of asthma, classified according to the severity of your asthma. Where do you fit in? Follow these steps and you will know.

Step 1: Do you belong to Category 1, Intermittent Asthma?

Advertisement

Answer the first two questions:

• Do you suffer asthma attacks not more than twice a week during the day? (When you need to use your bronchodilator?)
• Do you have night-time symptoms not more than once a month? (When you need your bronchodilator?)
• (For the doctor: PEF or Peak expiratory rate; person still able to exhale more than 80 percent of the maximum volume of air per second)

If your answers to questions 1 and 2 are yes, your asthma will be classified as Intermittent Asthma.

Follow our Complete guide to your treatment to learn more about your treatment. The treatment of Intermittent Asthma is intermittent. An inhaler bronchodilator (a beta 2 agonist) is used only when needed to relieve the symptoms.  

If  your answers to question 1 and 2 were no,  advance to step 2.

Step 2: Do you have Persistent Asthma?

• Do you have any asthma symptoms twice a week or more during the day?
• Do you have night-time symptoms twice per month or more?

If you answer yes to these two questions, then your asthma will be classified as Persistent Asthma.

Step 3: There are three categories of Persistent Asthma: Mild, Moderate and Severe. Determine where you fit in. Go to Step 4.

Answer the following two questions:

• Do you have day-time symptoms two to four times a week?
• Do you have night-time symptoms two to four times per month?

If your answers to these questions are yes, then you have Mild Persistent Asthma.

The treatment of Mild Persistent Asthma is: two different inhalers - a bronchodilator for acute attacks (if and when needed), plus inhaled corticosteroids daily. Read more. 

If you answered no, go to Step 5.

Step 5: Do you have Moderate Persistent Asthma?

• Do you have day-time symptoms five or more times per week?
• Do you have night-time symptoms five or more times per month?

If your answers are yes, you have Moderate Persistent Asthma. Your treatment will involve at least two different pumps, and possibly more tablets. Read more.

If your answers were no, proceed to Step 6.

Step 6: Do you have Severe Persistent Asthma? 

• Do you continuously have day-time asthma symptoms almost every day?  
• Do you frequently suffer night-time symptoms?

If your answer is yes to both of these questions, you have Severe Persistent Asthma.

Your treatment will involve at least two different pumps, plus tablets. Read more.

Read more:
Do you have asthma?

National Asthma Education Programme (NAEP)
Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)
 

Print this article

Rate this article Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent

JOBS

Senior Secretary Gauteng - North/Sandton Infrastructure Resource Gauteng - Johannesburg Management Accountant R450,000-500,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - Johannesburg Financial Manager R350,000-400,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - Johannesburg Financial and Project Accountant R300,000-360,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - Johannesburg Financial Accountant R380,000-420,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - Johannesburg SSIS Business Intelligence Specialists (SSIS; SSAS) R350,000-500,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - North/Sandton Financial Accountant R350,000-450,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - South Find more jobs Register your CV Post a job