WHAT YOUR ANSWERS MEAN

MEDIUM RISK

Medium risk of over-reliance on your Blue Reliever Inhaler

Like many people, your Blue Reliever Inhaler is important to you. But you might be relying on it a bit too much. It’s easy to see why, as it usually makes you feel better as soon as you take it. Some people see their Blue Reliever Inhaler as the most important part of their asthma treatment. But using it 3 or more times a week could be a sign that your asthma is not as well controlled as it could be.1-3 It’s worth discussing your results with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

There are good and not-so-good things about the Blue Reliever Inhaler. To learn more please keep reading.

Discuss your results with a Health Care Professional

You can share your results with your healthcare professional to see if there’s another treatment approach for you.

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The Reliever Reliance Test: more detailed results

I might be relying on my blue reliever inhaler a bit too much.
My Reliever Reliance Test*
results indicate a MEDIUM RISK of over-reliance on my blue Reliever Inhaler.
I took the Reliever Reliance Test* at www.yes2breathe.co.za

1. Using my Blue Inhaler Reliever to treat symptoms is the best way to keep on top of my asthma

2. I don’t worry about asthma when I have my Blue Reliever Inhaler around

3. My Blue Reliever Inhaler is the only asthma treatment I can really rely on

4. The benefits of using my Blue Reliever Inhaler easily outweigh any risks

5. I prefer to rely on my Blue Reliever Inhaler rather than my Steroid Preventer Inhaler

DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA BUT NOT THE CAUSE

‘Good’ things about the Blue Reliever Inhaler are that:4

  • It can feel as if symptoms are improving quickly.
  • It usually makes you feel better, often as soon as you take it.

‘Not-so-good’ things are that:

  • While the Blue Reliever Inhaler helps deal with the symptoms of asthma, it does not help to manage the underlying cause of asthma attacks.5
  • Over-reliance on a Blue Reliever Inhaler (i.e. use of it 3 or more times a week) could be a sign that asthma is not well controlled, which might in turn mean an increased risk of asthma attacks.1–3
  • By relying on their Blue Reliever Inhaler too much, some people may not be managing their asthma as well as they could be. For example, they may not be using their Preventer Inhaler as recommended.1,2

WHEN TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

As your test results indicate that you are at medium risk of over-relying on your Blue Reliever Inhaler, it’s worth discussing your asthma treatment with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist if either:

1. You are using only a Blue Reliever Inhaler to treat your asthma.

OR

2. There are signs that your asthma is not well controlled.

SIGNS OF POOR ASTHMA CONTROL

In the past 4 weeks, if any of the following has been true for you, this may be a sign that your asthma is not as well-controlled as it could be:2

1. You’ve had daytime symptoms 3 or more times a week
2. Your asthma has woken you up at night
3. You’ve used your Blue Reliever Inhaler 3 or more times a week
4. Your asthma has limited your activity

The more of these signs you have, the less well controlled your asthma could be. If you have any of these signs, it’s worth discussing your asthma treatment with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. With the right management, most people can achieve good control of their asthma.

NOTE: Guidelines apply a pragmatic threshold to define uncontrolled (NICE 2017)6 or partly controlled/uncontrolled (GINA 2020)1 asthma as using the reliever for symptomatic relief 3 or more days/times a week.

This is not medical advice. DO NOT stop or change your asthma medication without consulting your healthcare professional. It is important to continue to take your Blue Reliever Inhaler as directed by your healthcare professional, including during any worsening of your asthma or prior to exercise.

REFERENCES

1. Global Initiative for Asthma. (GINA). Available at: https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Main-pocket-guide_2020_04_03-final-wms.pdf (Last accessed: October 2020).

2. Azzi EA, et al. BMJ Open. 2019:14;9(8):e028995.

3. Price D, et al. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2014:12;24:14009

4. Cole S, et al. BMJ Open. 2013;3(2):e002247

5. Humbert M, et al. Allergy. 2008 Dec;63(12):1567–80

6. NICE. NICE guidelines [NG80]. Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng80 (Last accessed: October 2020).

This website is an international information resource for people with an interest in SABA/blue reliever inhaler over-reliance in asthma.

Activity ID: ZA-3970. Expiry Date: 6 March 2025

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WHAT YOUR ANSWERS MEAN

MEDIUM RISK

Medium risk of over-reliance on your Blue Reliever Inhaler

Like many people, your Blue Reliever Inhaler is important to you. But you might be relying on it a bit too much. It’s easy to see why, as it usually makes you feel better as soon as you take it. Some people see their Blue Reliever Inhaler as the most important part of their asthma treatment. But using it 3 or more times a week could be a sign that your asthma is not as well controlled as it could be.1-3 It’s worth discussing your results with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

There are good and not-so-good things about the Blue Reliever Inhaler. To learn more please keep reading.

Download my results

The Reliever Reliance Test: more detailed results

I might be relying on my blue reliever inhaler a bit too much.
My Reliever Reliance Test* results indicate a MEDIUM RISK of over-reliance on my blue Reliever Inhaler.
I took the Reliever Reliance Test* at www.yes2breathe.co.za
1. Using my Blue Inhaler Reliever to treat symptoms is the best way to keep on top of my asthma
2. I don’t worry about asthma when I have my Blue Reliever Inhaler around
3. My Blue Reliever Inhaler is the only asthma treatment I can really rely on
4. The benefits of using my Blue Reliever Inhaler easily outweigh any risks
5. I prefer to rely on my Blue Reliever Inhaler rather than my Steroid Preventer Inhaler

*The Reliever Reliance Test is adapted from the validated and globally used Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ)4 and has been developed by leading expert in behavioural medicine, Professor Rob Horne, with colleagues from the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG). It was fully funded by AstraZeneca UK Limited. The Asthma Right Care initiative is a global movement led by the IPCRG funded by AstraZeneca globally.

DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA BUT NOT THE CAUSE

‘Good’ things about the Blue Reliever Inhaler are that:4

It can feel as if symptoms are improving quickly.

It usually makes you feel better, often as soon as you take it.

‘Not-so-good’ things are that:

While the Blue Reliever Inhaler helps deal with the symptoms of asthma, it does not help to manage the underlying cause of asthma attacks.5

Over-reliance on a Blue Reliever Inhaler (i.e. use of it 3 or more times a week) could be a sign that asthma is not well controlled, which might in turn mean an increased risk of asthma attacks.1–3

By relying on their Blue Reliever Inhaler too much, some people may not be managing their asthma as well as they could be. For example, they may not be using their Preventer Inhaler as recommended.1,2

WHEN TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

As your test results indicate that you are at medium risk of over-relying on your Blue Reliever Inhaler, it’s worth discussing your asthma treatment with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist if either:

1. You are using only a Blue Reliever Inhaler to treat your asthma.

OR

2. There are signs that your asthma is not well controlled.

SIGNS OF POOR ASTHMA CONTROL

In the past 4 weeks, if any of the following has been true for you, this may be a sign that your asthma is not as well-controlled as it could be:2

1. You’ve had daytime symptoms 3 or more times a week

2. Your asthma has woken you up at night

3. You’ve used your Blue Reliever Inhaler 3 or more times a week

4. Your asthma has limited your activity

The more of these signs you have, the less well controlled your asthma could be. If you have any of these signs, it’s worth discussing your asthma treatment with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. With the right management, most people can achieve good control of their asthma.

NOTE: Guidelines apply a pragmatic threshold to define uncontrolled (NICE 2017)6 or partly controlled/uncontrolled (GINA 2020)1 asthma as using the reliever for symptomatic relief 3 or more days/times a week.