Table 75-1.

Questions to Ask Patients Who Present with Wheezing

Types of Symptoms Cough Wheeze Shortness of breath Chest tightness Sputum production

Frequency of Symptoms Daily, weekly, none Perennial, seasonally Do they have a night cough? Do they cough with activity? How often do they use their albuterol?

Severity of Symptoms How often do they have flares of their asthma? How many times in the last year? How many times have they used oral steroids? How many times in the last year? How many emergency room visits? How many visits to the hospital? Have they ever been in the intensive care unit?