Asthma Assessment
Use when asked to administer, score, or explain an Asthma Assessment — using the ACT (Asthma Control Test) — grounded in FormExamples/form-examples.
Asthma control evaluation using the ACT (Asthma Control Test) scoring instrument.
Scoring
Instrument: ACT Score. Range 5–25.
- ≤ 15 — not well controlled.
- 16–19 — not well controlled.
- 20–25 — well controlled.
What it covers
Demographics; symptom frequency over the past 4 weeks; lung function (peak flow, spirometry); identified triggers and exposure patterns; current controller and reliever medications with adherence; allergies and allergic comorbidities; exacerbation history (attacks, ED visits, hospitalizations); comorbidities (GERD, rhinitis, obesity); and social history (smoking, occupational exposures, home environment).
Common pitfalls
- Scoring control without checking inhaler technique and adherence — apparently "poor control" is frequently a technique or adherence problem rather than a need to escalate medication; check technique before stepping up treatment.
- Ignoring exacerbation history in favor of the ACT score alone — a patient can score "well controlled" between attacks yet have a recent, serious exacerbation history that changes management; both matter.
- Missing occupational or environmental triggers — a control assessment that skips exposure history can miss an identifiable, modifiable trigger driving poor control.
Learn more
- FormExamples: asthma-assessment for the full implementation, clinical references, and worked examples.
- Pulmonology Assessment, Respirology Assessment for related respiratory assessments.