Asthma Triggers
Explain the benefits with the patient of avoiding or reducing their triggers, this may lead to improvement in symptom control. Education should focus on each individuals triggers.
Tobacco smoke
Mould in houses
House dust mite
Occupational asthma
Physical activity
Emotional stress
Respiratory viruses
Aeroallergens
Animals
Tobacco smoke
- Tobacco smoke exposure in current smokers or environmental exposure to second-hand smoke is still a major trigger of severe asthma. Nicotine dependence should be discussed at every review and assistance to reduce ongoing exposure should be offered to all current smokers. Local drug and alcohol services, or government-sponsored smoking cessation resources are available
- QUITLine has resources developed for Aboriginal people and a range of language groups
- For additional resources, see Resources – Risk Factor Components
Mould in houses
- Removing dampness or mould in homes reduces asthma symptoms and medication use in adults.
- It is better if the affected patient does NOT do the cleaning.
House dust mite
- Consider immunotherapy or sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) as add-on therapy in people who are allergic to house dust mite and allergic rhinitis. This may be useful in people who have exacerbations despite ICS treatment, provided their FEV1 is >70% predicted.
- For more information see Allergy Assessments
Occupational asthma
- Ask patients with adult-onset asthma about their work history. Patients with suspected occupational asthma should be provided education to avoid exposure to sensitizers as soon as possible.
- Referral for expert occupational asthma advice is recommended.
- For more information see Occupational Asthma
Physical activity
- Physical activity and exercise is encouraged because of the health benefits.
- People who have exercise-induced bronchoconstriction should be provided with education on the need to use bronchodilators before exercise.
- See Physical Activity & Exercise
Emotional stress
- Emotional stress, depression and anxiety are triggers, which if effectively managed may improve asthma control.
- Local psychology services can typically be accessed through GP referral.
- See Anxiety & Depression
Respiratory viruses
- All patients should be advised to have annual early season influenza vaccination.
- Avoiding exposure to people with known respiratory tract viral infections when possible is also important.
- Frequent hand-washing may also help decrease the number of viral infections.
Aeroallergens
- Based on results from skin prick testing, discuss practical management strategies or avoidance of allergen exposure.
- Sublingual as well as subcutaneous immunotherapy agents are now available in Australia. However, these approaches are only useful for patients with a single treatable allergen sensitivity. Also see Allergy Assessments
- For those with aeroallergen sensitisivitity, rhinosinusitis management should also be discussed. See Allergic & Non-Allergic Rhinitis
Animals
- For patients who are allergic to animals, discussion of strategies to reduce or avoid contact with the animal may be useful.
The Asthma UK website contains additional information about asthma triggers.
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