How to recognize a worsening asthma attack
GINA's 2026 update introduced new flowcharts to help patients and clinicians act quickly during a flare-up. Watch for these warning signs:
- Reliever inhaler needed more often than usual, with little relief
- Increasing shortness of breath, even at rest
- Difficulty speaking in full sentences
- Blue lips or fingertips, or oxygen saturation below 92% — call emergency services immediately
What's new in the GINA 2026 guidelines
The 2026 update revised several aspects of how asthma attacks should be managed:
- Oxygen is only recommended when saturation drops below 92%, avoiding unnecessary supplementation
- Reliever (SABA) dosing was made more conservative to reduce the risk of side effects like lactic acidosis
- ICS-formoterol is now a recognized option for emergency and primary care treatment of attacks
Reducing reliance on oral corticosteroids
- GINA 2026 introduces a stewardship framework to limit repeated oral corticosteroid (OCS) courses
- Frequent OCS use is linked to long-term side effects and should prompt a review of maintenance treatment
- Tracking attacks helps your doctor decide if your treatment plan needs adjusting
What patients often get wrong
Many patients wait too long before seeking help, hoping symptoms will pass on their own.
👉 Recognizing the early signs of an attack — and acting on them — is one of the best ways to avoid a medical emergency.
📊 Have you experienced an asthma attack?
Take our short anonymous survey (4 minutes) and share how your experience compares to other asthma patients.
Take the surveyWhy take part?
- Help build a clearer picture of how asthma attacks are experienced
- Support better tools for recognizing warning signs early
- Contribute to improving asthma tracking and care