Asthma

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Asthma Program
health.asthma@state.mn.us

Asthma Medications: Tools and Resources for Health Care Providers

On this page:
SMART Therapy
Asthma Medication Posters
Asthma Educational Resources
Videos
Inhaler Device Technique
Instructional Inhaler Handouts
Instructional Inhaler Videos
Instructional Inhaler with a Valved Holding Chamber (Spacer) Videos
Patient and Family Educational Materials from Children's Minnesota
Handouts in other languages
Spirometry
Additional Health Professional Learning Opportunities

The following tools and resources are available to support the role of the health care provider in delivering quality care to their patients who have asthma. Helping patients maintain asthma control includes the following: 

  • Providing appropriate asthma medications 
  • Addressing environmental factors that cause worsening symptoms
  • Helping patients learn self-management skills (inhaler technique) 
  • Monitoring long-term to assess control and adjust therapy as needed

SMART Therapy

SMART therapy stands for Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy. SMART therapy is a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and an inhaled Long-Acting Beta-Agonists (LABAs). This combination is available in two medications.

  1. Budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort)
  2. Mometasone/formoterol (Dulera)

What are important points for clinicians to know about SMART therapy?

  • Traditional asthma management uses different medications for maintenance versus reliever. SMART therapy uses the same medication for the maintenance and reliever.
  • SMART therapy may eliminate some patients’ confusion about which inhaler to use and when
  • SMART therapy is part of the current National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP). It is detailed in the 2020 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines. SMART therapy is also detailed in 2022 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines.
  • SMART therapy is not currently FDA-approved for mild asthma. 

Learn more:

SMART Therapy, EPR-3 and GINA Guidelines Training/Presentation for Minnesota School Nurses

Dr. Gail Brottman is a Board Certified Pediatric Pulmonologist at Hennepin Healthcare, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics at the U of M Medical School, and faculty member with the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine.  

She generously serves on the Minnesota Department of Health’s Asthma Advisory Committee and works tirelessly to advocate for, promote and coordinate the YMCA Camp Superkids, a camp for children with asthma. 

Learning Objectives: 
Upon completion of this recorded training, participants will be able to:

  1. Define Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART)
  2. Describe indications and clinical provisions for SMART Therapy
  3. Discuss provision of SMART therapy and EPR-3/GINA guidelines-based care in the school setting
  4. Demonstrate inhaler and chamber/spacer technique

Asthma Medication Posters

The following asthma partner posters have been designed to support patient education in clinics, schools, pharmacies, and other community/workplace settings. The posters provide a comparison of the various treatment options, and help patients identify their maintenance/controller medicines or quick relief medications. Individual organizations regularly update posters as new treatment options become available. 

  • This 2-sided Respiratory Treatment poster from the Allergy and Asthma Network provides a comparison of the various treatment options, helps patients identify their inhalers and is a great reference for patient education. The posters are available in both English and Spanish. There is a large poster (17’’ x 22’’), small poster (8.5’’ x 11’’), 50-page pads, and a free digital download.
     
  • This 2-sided poster from the American Lung Association (PDF) provides images of Asthma and COPD Medicines of Quick Reliver Medicines, Maintenance/Controller Medicines, and Add-On Medicines. The back side of the poster provides information on SMART (Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy) and step-by-step instructions for how to use a metered-dose inhaler with a valued holding chamber (spacer). 

Asthma Educational Resources

The following resources include videos, toolkits, worksheets, PDFs, infographics, and other resources for providing asthma education in the clinic, school, and/or home visit settings. 

What is Asthma?

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Asthma Resources for Patients and Caregivers. Asthma Resources for Patients and Caregivers. A collection of resources from Learn More Breathe Better and Breathe Better Network partners includes information to help manage asthma, about how to have discussions with your healthcare provider, and how to manage asthma in the school environment.

Videos

  • What is Asthma, Dr. Alex Thomas, an allergy doctor and someone who has asthma, talks in this 4:03 minute video about asthma, medications, and how medications work in the lungs. The video includes whiteboard animation drawings
  • How Lungs Work, American Lung Association. This 2-minute animated video explains how lungs work and how to keep your lungs and yourself healthy every day. Available in English and Spanish. 
  • What is Asthma?, American Lung Association. This 1:44 minute animated video explains how asthma can cause changes in the airways of the lungs. Learn more about changes and triggers that may cause symptoms leading to an asthma attack
  • What is Asthma?, National Jewish Health asthma expert, Brian Modena, MD, explains how this chronic disease is diagnosed and treated. This 2:17 minute video is appropriate for adult and older asthma patients.
  • Learn About Asthma, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Guidelines video to learn about Asthma and how it affects the lungs.  
  • 2020 Focused Updates to Asthma Management Guidelines: SMART Therapy Video, American Lung Association. Dr. Sofi Ali, MD, MPH, Family Practice Physician provides a short overview (3:00 minutes) about the updates to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Guidelines that include the addition of SMART Therapy. 

Inhaler Device Technique

Top 10 Mistakes Kids and Adults Make 

Inhaled therapy is the cornerstone of asthma treatment, and direct delivery of medication to the lungs allows for optimal efficacy and safety. However, up to 94% of patients with asthma and COPD do not use their inhalers correctly, and they require multiple education sessions to maintain their technique. Inhaled asthma medication needs to reach the airways to work effectively. 

National Jewish Health has created two Top 10 Inhaler Mistakes Kids/Adults Make in a poster format. Review the 10 common mistakes made when using a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) and how to correct them. 

Instructional Inhaler Handouts

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers printable handouts that provide guidance and general steps for appropriate inhaler technique. Handouts are available in English and Spanish. 

Instructional Inhaler Videos

Instructional videos that demonstrate how to properly use inhaled medications for asthma and other lung diseases. 

Instructional Inhaler with a Valved Holding Chamber (Spacer) Videos

Instructional videos created by National Jewish Health and the American Lung Association demonstrating how to properly use metered-dose inhaler with a Valved Holding Chamber (Spacer). 

  • Using a AeroChamber® - consists of a plastic tube with a mouthpiece, a valve to control mist delivery, and a soft sealed end to hold the metered dose inhaler
  • Using a AeroChamber® with Mask - consists of a plastic tube with a mouthpiece, a valve to control mist delivery and a soft sealed end to hold the metered dose inhaler. The AeroChamber with a mask is helpful for young children who can’t inhale the medication and hold their breath
  • How to use a metered-dose inhaler with a valved holding chamber (spacer) – American Lung Association video demonstrating proper device technique when using a metered-dose inhaler with valved holding chamber.  Video available in English and Spanish

Patient and Family Educational Materials from Children’s Minnesota

Asthma Videos in other languages

Children’s Minnesota Asthma Center offers videos in English, Spanish and Somali. 

Handouts in other Languages

Inhalers documents from Children's Minnesota describes metered dose inhaler technique for (MDI), Dry Powder Inhaler: Diskus, Dry Powder Inhaler: Flexhaler, and Dry Powder Inhaler: Ellipta. (Hmong, Somali, Spanish translations available).

Step-by-step asthma nebulizer instructions from Children's Minnesota teaches how to use a nebulizer to deliver asthma medication to infants and older children ( Spanish translations available).

Russian (Русский)

Somali (Af-Soomaali)

Spirometry

Spirometry is the most common type of breathing test. Spirometry measures how much air you can breathe in and out of your lungs, as well as how easily and fast you can blow the air out of your lungs. Spirometry can help diagnose asthma.

Additional Health Professional Learning Opportunities

Webinar: Patient Experience: Inhaler Usage – Common Patient Mistakes When Using an Inhaler for Asthma, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. This Vitalograph webinar addresses problems experienced by patients using inhalers and issues caused by poor inhaler technique.  

American Lung Association’s Asthma Management Guidelines:  A Review for Health Care Professionals - The American Lung Association’s Asthma Guidelines for Health Care Professionals course is a free training designed to help health care professionals learn and apply guidelines-based asthma care.

References: 

  1. Asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using a metered-dose inhaler or dry powder device. J Asthma. 1998;35:273–279 
  2. Baqai HZ, Saleem MA, and Abair-ul-Haq M: Assessment of metered dose inhaler technique in patients with chronic lung disease at government hospitals of Rawalpindi. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2011;23:37–39 
     
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Last Updated: 09/23/2024