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Maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) after an asthma attack
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Maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) after an asthma attack
Going home plan
You should now be feeling better than when you first came in. You should not need to use a blue reliever inhaler as much.
We have given you a maintenance and reliever therapy (or ‘MART’) inhaler.
Going home with your MART inhaler
Take your MART inhaler every day either once or twice a day, depending on your prescription. Keep taking oral corticosteroids if you have been prescribed them.
Look out for signs that show you need an extra reliever dose of your MART inhaler:
- struggling to breathe
- coughing a lot
- tight chest or wheezy
- your peak flow (if you measure it) is dropping
If you have any of the signs above:
- use 1 puff of your MART inhaler
- wait 5 minutes
- if symptoms carry on take another puff
- You should now feel much better, and this should last at least 4 hours.
If the MART inhaler is not lasting for 4 hours or you still have symptoms move to the red box.
Over the next few days, you should be needing fewer extra reliever doses of you MART inhaler.
Once you are feeling better, you can stop taking the extra doses. There is no need to slowly decrease extra MART doses if you are well.
See your personalised asthma action plan for daily maximum doses.
If you are still struggling to breathe or you need reliever doses more than every 4 hours
⚠ You are not getting better. You need to take emergency action now ⚠
- inform an adult or carer
- sit up (don’t lie down), loosen tight clothing, stay calm.
- take 1 puff of your MART inhaler
- wait 3 to 5 minutes
- if there is no improvement in your symptoms take another puff
- repeat this up to a maximum of 6 puffs
If 6 puffs of your MART inhaler have not helped and you are still struggling to breathe, you should:
Call 999 and whilst waiting for the ambulance repeat the steps above. Your parent or carer should call 999 earlier if you are unable to use your MART inhaler.
After an asthma attack
Within 48 hours after the asthma attack, please contact your GP surgery to make an appointment for your child to be reviewed to check they are getting better.
Within 4 weeks you will need to make sure that your child has a follow-up appointment arranged with your GP, practice nurse or be seen in the asthma clinic for a full asthma review. If you have a MART personalised asthma action plan please use it for further information.
Summary
- If your child’s asthma is getting worse, urgently see your GP.
- For an urgent out-of-hours GP appointment, call NHS 111.
- You should call 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department if your child is in critical or life-threatening situations.
Partners
This resource has been produced with NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, NHS Barnsley Hospital FT, NHS Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals FT, NHS Rotherham FT, NHS Sheffield Children’s FT, South Yorkshire Children and Young People’s Alliance, and Excellent Asthma Care in South Yorkshire.
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Disclaimer
Please note: this is a generic information sheet relating to care at Sheffield Children’s NHS FT. These details may not reflect treatment at other hospitals. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professionals’ instructions. If this resource relates to medicines, please read it alongside the medicine manufacturer’s patient information leaflet. If this information has been translated into another language from English, efforts have been made to maintain accuracy, but there may still be some translation errors. If you are unsure about any of the guidance in this resource or have specific questions about how it relates to your child, always ask your healthcare professional for further advice.
Resource number: RSP19
Resource Type: Article
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