Peak flow: Top tips for monitoring your asthma

Dr Andy, our in-house GP shares his top tips for using peak flow to monitor your asthma and how peak flow readings help him as a GP.

Throughout the pandemic, people have had to take greater responsibility for their own health - from handwashing to social distancing and self-isolating when needed. Not only have we been doing these things to keep ourselves safe, but these actions have helped protect everyone we come into contact with. 

During the pandemic, we saw a big rise in the number of people with asthma taking their preventer inhalers more regularly. This will have dampened down the hidden inflammation in their airways that can be triggered by viruses and cause asthma symptoms and asthma attacks.

I am really pleased to see that the number of people with asthma doing peak flow readings has also increased. This has been useful for me and my patients in two ways: helping come to a diagnosis of asthma and helping assess people with asthma who have had worsening symptoms.

Peak flow scores are useful for patients, GPs and asthma nurses

Because other lung tests, such as spirometry and FeNO, were not readily available, a peak flow diary has been a useful way for helping make a diagnosis of asthma. Coming to a diagnosis of asthma can take time and needs a detailed clinical history, as well as tests and even a trial of treatment in some cases, to see if it improves symptoms. We now have been given guidance for safely restarting spirometry, and FeNO testing is going to become more common in GP surgeries.

I have found peak flow scores really useful for people with asthma calling the surgery. Peak flow readings help me to assess how good or bad someone’s asthma is at a particular time, and help me monitor the effect of treatments. They can also help identify whether chest symptoms are really due to someone’s asthma. Many people with asthma have been contacting the NHS with chest symptoms (coughing, breathlessness) which even for someone with asthma, may not be due to their condition. Comparing your current peak flow score to a recent personal best is very useful to support an assessment.

How do I know I’m using my peak flow meter correctly?

The Asthma UK website has some clear instructions on how to use a peak flow meter. Peak flow meters can be prescribed or bought from your local pharmacy. It’s best if a healthcare professional shows you how to use it and checks your technique.

In some cases, your GP or asthma nurse will ask you to regularly keep track of your peak flow score. Your asthma action plan can be tailored by your GP or asthma nurse, based on your personal best readings.

If you have not been asked to keep regular readings, it’s still worth doing some readings from time to time, so you know what your recent personal best is. That way, when you get symptoms or are worried about your asthma, you have something to compare your peak flow to. This can help when you’re following your action plan and help your GP or asthma nurse if you need to contact them.

It’s always important to pay attention to your symptoms too. Don’t delay taking your reliever inhaler or contacting your GP or asthma nurse if you’re worried about your symptoms, even if your peak flow seems reassuring.

Asthma research is severely underfunded

DID YOU KNOW: Research into respiratory diseases like asthma accounts for just 2% of all the medical research funding in the UK.

This underfunding is exactly why we launched the 2021 Research Appeal...