Asthma Action Plan: What It Is and How to Get One

What is an asthma action plan?

An asthma action plan (sometimes called a written asthma management plan) is a one-page document personalized to you or your child. It uses a traffic-light framework to describe what to do at each level of symptom control 1Ref 1National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (2020).Asthma Action Plan.Widely used NHLBI two-page asthma action plan template organized into green/yellow/red zones; updated December 2020 to align with the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines2Ref 2National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (2007).Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma — Summary Report 2007.Asthma action plan structure (green/yellow/red zones), peak flow percentage thresholds, controller vs. rescue inhaler framework, and recommendation for written action plans for all patients with persistent asthma:

• Green zone (doing well): Symptoms are controlled, you are sleeping through the night, and your peak flow (if you use a meter) is in a normal range. You take your daily controller medications as prescribed and no extra steps are needed.
• Yellow zone (getting worse): You notice increasing symptoms — more coughing, tightening, shortness of breath, waking at night, or needing your rescue inhaler more than twice a week. The plan specifies which medication to add, at what dose, and how long to try it before calling your clinician.
• Red zone (medical alert): Symptoms are severe — significant breathing difficulty, rescue inhaler is not helping, or peak flow is below a set threshold. The plan specifies emergency medications and when to call 911 or go to the emergency room.

Why does the plan need to be personalized — can I just use a blank template?

Blank templates exist. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) publishes a widely used two-page template 1Ref 1National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (2020).Asthma Action Plan.Widely used NHLBI two-page asthma action plan template organized into green/yellow/red zones; updated December 2020 to align with the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines that was updated in December 2020 to align with current asthma guidelines. The American Lung Association also offers free downloadable templates in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Haitian Creole.

However, the critical parts — which medications, what doses, what peak flow numbers to use as your thresholds — must be filled in by your clinician based on your specific prescriptions and baseline lung function.

A generic template without your medications filled in is not actionable during a real asthma episode. The value is the completed, personalized document.

That said, reviewing a blank template before your appointment helps you understand what questions to ask and ensures you leave with a fully completed plan.

What goes into each zone of a completed plan?

A complete action plan includes 1Ref 1National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (2020).Asthma Action Plan.Widely used NHLBI two-page asthma action plan template organized into green/yellow/red zones; updated December 2020 to align with the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines2Ref 2National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (2007).Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma — Summary Report 2007.Asthma action plan structure (green/yellow/red zones), peak flow percentage thresholds, controller vs. rescue inhaler framework, and recommendation for written action plans for all patients with persistent asthma:

Your daily controller medication(s): The name, dose, and schedule of your long-term inhaler or medication (for example, an inhaled corticosteroid).

Your rescue medication: The name and dose of your short-acting bronchodilator inhaler (typically albuterol / salbutamol), including how many puffs to take in the yellow and red zones.

Your personal best peak flow (if applicable): Your clinician may calculate your green/yellow/red cutoffs as percentages of this number.

Symptom descriptions: Plain-language descriptions of what each zone feels and sounds like, tailored to you.

Emergency contacts and instructions: Your clinician's after-hours number and the criteria for calling 911.

Where do I keep the plan, and who gets a copy?

Common practice is to:

• Keep the original somewhere visible at home (on the refrigerator or a kitchen cabinet door)
• Give a copy to your school nurse or employer's occupational health office if relevant
• Keep a copy in your child's backpack or your work bag
• Store a photo of it on your phone

Schools typically require an updated action plan at the start of each academic year, signed by your clinician.

How do I get an asthma action plan through Gale?

A Gale primary care clinician can create or update your asthma action plan. At your visit, bring your current inhalers and any peak flow meter you use. The clinician will review your current symptom control, confirm your medication regimen, and complete the plan with you.

If your asthma is complex or poorly controlled, your Gale clinician can also refer you to a pulmonologist or allergist for additional evaluation and to co-sign an updated plan.