Preparing for thunderstorm asthma – Supporting your patients

The National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) is reminding all Australians to prepare for thunderstorm asthma as the grass pollen season (October to December) peaks.

On this page:

What general practice staff can do

As per the recently updated Australian Asthma Handbook, general practice staff should:

• Review asthma control in high-risk patients – ensure patients are on the right treatment and have up-to-date asthma action plans.
• Check that adult and adolescent (aged over 12 years) patients with asthma, including mild asthma, are prescribed inhaled corticosteroid containing treatment, as per the Australian Asthma Handbook.
• Encourage patients to carry their anti-inflammatory relievers which can provide fast relief from symptoms and have an important anti-inflammatory effect for the airways, which helps treat the cause of asthma, not just the symptoms.
• Advise patients with hay fever and allergy to ryegrass pollen that they may be at risk of experiencing thunderstorm asthma, event those who have never had asthma symptoms before.

Useful resources for general practice staff