Follow-up after an episode of acute asthma

Any patient who experiences an episode of acute asthma of any severity must be encouraged to seek follow-up medical advice and care. Advise the patient to follow-up with their general practitioner or specialist within 2 or 3 days of discharge from hospital and 2 weeks after the acute episode. Provide a discharge summary to the patient’s general practitioner, including details of the:

severity of the episode
spirometry findings, if performed
treatment given
treatment prescribed at discharge; all adults or adolescents who have had an episode of acute severe asthma require a regular inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)
written asthma action plan (see Written asthma action plans for adults or Written asthma action plans for children).

Note: Every person with asthma should have a written asthma action plan.

Consider specialist referral for any first presentations of asthma and for all episodes of acute asthma requiring hospital admission. Also consider specialist referral for patients with ongoing poorly controlled asthma.

Patients with near-fatal or ‘brittle asthma’ (ie sudden and severe exacerbations) should have ongoing specialist review for life. Patients who experienced a severe exacerbation should have specialist review for at least 1 year.