Step # 1 – Sit the person comfortably upright
Be calm and reassuring. Don’t leave the person alone.
Step # 2- Give 4 puffs of a blue/gray reliever
Use a spacer, if available (you can use Ventolin, airomir or asmol) Give 1 puff at a time with 4 breaths after each puff. Use the person’s own inhale if possible. If not, use first aid kit inhaler or borrow one. OR give 3 separate doses of a bricanyl or symbicort inhaler. If could not find puffer or you are out without a puffer you can use symbicort or bricanyl even though the person does not normally use these.
Step # 3 – Wait for 4 minutes
If the person still cannot breathe normally, give 4 more puffs. IF the person still cannot breathe normally, give one more dose.
Step # 4- Call an Ambulance Immediately
If the asthma patient is not able to breathe normally, immediately call an ambulance. And explain the doctor about the asthma attack. Keep giving reliever. Give 4 puffs every 4 minutes until the ambulance arrives. (children 4 puffs each time is a safe dose, adults: for a severe attack you can give up to 6-8 puffs every 4 minutes) for bricanyl, give 1 dose every 4 minutes, for symbicort, give 1 dose every 4 minutes (up to 3 more doses)
Tips to use Inhaler
-
With spacer
- Assemble spacer
- Remove puffer cap and shake well
- Insert puffer upright into space
- Place mouthpiece between teeth and seal lips around it.
- Press once firmly on puffer to fire one puff into space.
- Take 4 breaths in and out of spacer
- Slip spacer out of mouth
- Repeat one puff at a time until 4 puffs taken. Remember to shake the puffer before each puff.
- Replace the cap.
-
Without spacer
- Remove cap and shake well
- Breathe out away from puffer
- Place mouthpiece between teeth and seal lipids around it.
- Press once firmly on puffer while breathing in slowly and deeply
- Slip puffer out of mouth
- Hold breath for 4 seconds or as longs as comfortable
- Breathe out slowly away from puffer
- Repeat one puff at a time until 4 puffs take; remember to shake the puffer before each puff.
- Replace the cap.
-
Bricanyl or Symbicort
- Unscrew cover and remove
- Hold inhaler upright and twist grip around and then back
- Breathe out away from inhaler
- Place mouthpiece between teeth and seal lips around it
- Breathe in forcefully and deeply
- Slip inhaler out of the mouth
- Breathe out slowly away from inhaler
- Repeat to take a second dose remember to twist the grip both ways to reload before each dose
- Replace cover.