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What
Is A Peak Flow Meter ? A peak flow meter shows you how well air moves out of your lungs. During an asthma episode the airways of the lungs begin to narrow slowly. The peak flow meter can help you find out if there is a narrowing in the airways hours -- even days -- before you have any symptoms of asthma. By taking your medicine early (before symptoms) you may be able to stop or avoid a serious episode of asthma. The peak flow meter can also be used to help you and your Asthma Team:
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| How to Use a Peak Flow Meter |
| 1. Place the indicator at the
base of the numbered scale. 2. Stand up. 3. Take a deep breath. 4. Place the meter in your mouth and close your lips around the mouth piece. (Do not put your tongue inside the hole.) 5. Blow out as hard and as fast as you can. 6. Write down the number you get. 7. Repeat Steps I through 6 two more times. 8. Write down the highest of the three numbers. |
| Find Your Personal Best Peak Flow Number |
Your personal best peak flow number is the highest number you get over a 2-week period when you feel good and do not have any asthma symptoms. Each person's asthma is different, so it is important for you to find your own personal best peak flow number. Your Self Management Plan needs to be based on your own personal best number. To find out your personal best peak flow number, take peak flow readings and keep track of the numbers *every day for 2 weeks. *Mornings and evenings (when you wake up and before you go to bed). Also, before and after taking inhaled bronchodilators (if you take this medicine). |
| The Peak Flow Zone System | |||
The peak flow numbers are put
into zones based on your best number and are set up like a traffic light. This will help
you know what to do when your peak flow number changes. For example:
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| Do Not Forget: | |||
| A drop in peak flow to the
yellow zone may mean the start of an asthma attack. When this happens: Follow your Self Management Plan for treating an asthma episode by stepping up to the maximum on your prevention medicines and use your inhaled bronchodilator (rescue medicine). |
Visit www.keepkidshealthy.com
and make your own peak flow calendar
with personalized red, yellow, and green zones.
Send mail to ameng@utmb.edu with any questions or comments about this
site.
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Copyright 2000. The University of Texas Medical Branch
Last modified:
November 03, 2006
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NIEHS
Center in Environmental Toxicology at The University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston |
