Guest Author - Amy Anaruk

Doctors classify asthma by your symptoms and peak flow numbers before treatment. Classification helps your doctors and specialists determine your best treatment plan, but it's important to remember that anyone--even mild asthmatics--can experience a life-threatening flare. Here's a breakdown of the four categories.

Mild Intermittent

Asthma in its mildest form causes daytime flares a couple of times a week or a couple of nocturnal flares each month. Mild intermittent asthma can be seasonal or have just one specific trigger. If you experience flares only in reaction to latex, for example, you would probably have mild intermittent asthma. Treatment usually involves using a quick-relief bronchodilator as needed. Flares tend to last briefly.

Mild Persistent

Asthma sufferers with the mild persistent form experience more than two flares a week but no more than one a day. Nocturnal asthma will occur more than twice a month, and some patients' asthma will affect their physical activity. If you regularly use your quick-relief inhaler more than twice a week, your doctor will probably recommend maintenance corticosteroids.

Moderate Persistent

Moderate persistent asthma means you flare daily without medication and experience nocturnal asthma at least once a week. Flares most likely affect your physical activity and sometimes require emergency treatment. Daily flares require maintenance treatment in addition to fast-acting bronchodilators.

Severe Persistent

If you have severe asthma, when your asthma is not well controlled you experience flares frequently throughout the day, and they may even prevent sleeping at night. Flares often require emergency care and probably limit the amount or type of physical activity you can participate in.

One form of severe asthma that I can't find much information on is brittle asthma, or very severe asthma characterized by sudden onset flares that don't respond well to typical asthma treatment. Flares are often life-threatening and require hospitalization, and patients have very inconsistent peak flow readings. From what I can read online, patients with brittle asthma use home nebulizers and steroid tablets. According to the British Lung Foundation, brittle asthma is broken into two types, and Type 1 patients often have allergies, including to foods like wheat and dairy.


Whatever form your asthma takes, remember to complete an Asthma Action Plan and stay in regular communication with your doctor to keep your symptoms in good control.


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"Smile, breathe and go slowly." -Thich Nhat Hanh


This article is not written by a medical professional, and information on this page should never be substituted for your physician's advice. If you have any questions about your asthma and/or allergies, you should always contact your physician first.