Your Health and Wellness

LIVING WITH ASTHMA
AsthmaCare+™ is designed to help you manage your disease with services and products specific to helping you live your life fully. All PPN pharmacists and licensed technicians receive specialized training to be well-versed in products, therapies and information that will help you manage your disease.

GOALS OF ASTHMA CARE

The goal of asthma treatment is to control the disease. Good asthma control will:

Prevent chronic and troublesome symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath to two days a week or fewer.
Reduce your need of quick-relief medicines to two days a week or fewer.
Help you maintain good lung function (peak flow meter readings more than 80% of your predicted personal best).
Let you maintain your normal activity levels and sleep through the night
Prevent asthma attacks that could result in your going to the emergency room or being admitted to the hospital for treatment

Good asthma management identifies, controls and treats factors and conditions that trigger, or make asthma symptoms worse for you. These triggers vary from person to person so no one management plan works for everyone. For this reason it is important to partner with your physician and pharmacist in your self-management, or action, plan.

An asthma action plan gives guidance on taking your medicines properly, avoiding factors that worsen your asthma, tracking your level of asthma control, responding to worsening asthma, and seeking emergency care when needed.

If your child has asthma, all of the people who care for him or her should know about the child’s asthma action plan. This includes babysitters and workers at daycare centers, schools, and camps. These caretakers can help your child follow his or her action plan.

ASTHMA TRIGGERS

Allergens It is important to note that not all asthma sufferers have allergies, but for many, allergens can make asthma symptoms worse. Reliable allergy tests are available from board-certified allergists who will guide you through the process. If you are allergic, making changes in your environment to control or avoid contact with the allergen is very important.

Infections Cold viruses, respiratory infections, sinusitis and influenza often increase your asthma symptoms. An annual flu vaccination may be recommended by your physician and are available at most PPN pharmacies during the flu season.

Exercise For some, physical activity is the only trigger for their asthma symptoms. For many exercise can worsen the effects of asthma. However, exercise is important to your overall health and you should consult with your physician as to the correct exercise plan for you.

Weather situations that may make asthma symptoms worse include extremely hot or cold temperatures, windy conditions and changes in the humidity or barometric pressure.

Emotions and daily stress can worsen asthma symptoms. Your asthma management plan should include techniques to minimize the effects of stress.

Changes in Breathing Patterns  Sneezing, laughing, stress, holding your breath and sleep disorders may cause changes in breathing patterns which may make asthma worse. It is not always possible or desirable to avoid these situations; however, good asthma management may minimize these effects.

MANAGING YOUR TREATMENT

There are many safe and effective drug treatments for asthma that your physician may prescribe. Your PPN pharmacist can teach you how to use your medications properly. Specific categories of medications are:

Quick-relief medications treat asthma symptoms or an asthma episode, and are not used on a daily basis if your asthmas is well-controlled.

Long-term control medications are used daily, even when you are doing well, to maintain control of asthma symptoms and prevent episodes.

Delivery devices for inhaled lung medications include metered-dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers and nebulizers. Our pharmacists and technicians can help answer questions and give advice on the use of these devices.

Managing your medications is also an important task. You do not want to run out of medication or have too much lying around. Your PPN pharmacist can assist you in managing your supply of medications.

Peak Flow Meters are small hand-held devices you blow in to that show how well air moves out of your lungs. Your action plan will include monitoring and recording how well your asthma is controlled. By learning how to use this simple device you can detect subtle changes in your airways before you notice symptoms. If your readings are lower than usual, it’s a sign your asthma may be about to flare up.

Nutrition Management You can satisfy your nutritional needs, keep your stomach comfortable and help your diaphragm to work better by eating smaller, more frequent meals. Small, frequent meals also reduce the chance of reflux.

Some people with asthma take steroid pills on a regular basis. Steroid pills are strong medicines that decrease swollen airways. Steroid therapy has the potential to interfere with the way the body uses specific nutrients, including calcium, potassium, sodium, protein, and vitamins D and C.

INSURANCE, MEDICARE & MEDICAID

All commercial insurance carriers, Medicare and Medicaid are accepted by PPN pharmacies. Our insurance team facilitates filing processes, often filing paperwork on your behalf, to help you receive all benefits to which you are entitled.