Asthma exacerbations place a tremendous strain on both the individual patient and the healthcare system. Patients frequently increase their home treatments in response to worsening asthma symptoms, and the asthma action plan was developed to allow patients to self-manage their asthma treatment. The yellow (intermediate) zone of the asthma action plan is commonly misdefined, and current Expert Panel Report 3 guideline recommendations are ineffective for all patients. This article examines the research supporting several proposed yellow zone intervention options.
There are several approaches to administering yellow zone therapy, and current research has examined the preventative value of a planned increase in controller medication(s), relief medication(s), or a symptom-driven mix of both. According to the research, some techniques may be more effective than others in specific asthma subpopulations.
Multiple yellow zone methods may be effective, and the yellow zone storey is not one-size-fits-all.
