Browse Categories

Adult Asthma: Judging the Severity of Your Asthma

If you have asthma, it is important to work with your doctor to determine the severity of your asthma, as medications and treatment options may vary.

The following guidelines were developed by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:

Asthma Severity	Symptom Severity	Nighttime Symptoms
Severe Persistent	Continual Symptoms Limited Physical Activity Frequent exacerbations interfere with normal activities	Frequent
Moderate Persistent	Daily Symptoms Exacerbations two or more times per week that may last for days and may interfere with activities	More than once a week
Mild Persistent	Symptoms occur more than two times a week, but less than once a day Exacerbations may affect activities	More than two times per month
Mild Intermittent	Symptoms occur two or fewer times per week Exacerbations are brief (a few hours to a few days) and the intensity varies	Two or fewer times per month