Nearly 25 million Americans suffer from asthma, and asthma-related complications account for one-quarter of all emergency department visits. 
To manage symptoms and prevent attacks, the American Lung Association recommends individuals with asthma develop an asthma action plan with their doctor. iSonea created the AsthmaSense™ mobile application that packages many of the steps found in asthma action plans into a mobile format. The application reminds users when to take medications or test breathing, tracks their breathing ability, monitors symptoms, and alerts users when they are at risk for an attack. “We believe that if we can make monitoring easier for people, they will benefit from reduced ED visits and hospitalizations, lower healthcare costs related to asthma, and improved outcomes,” said Michael Cheney, VP of Marketing at iSonea Limited. To start, users create a profile that contains their personal information as well as the medications they are taking. Within their profile, users can create alerts that will remind them when to take their medications. The application also reminds patients to test their breathing using devices such as a Peak Flow Meter or a WheezoMeter™. Users can enter the data collected from measurement devices into the app, which will compare the readings to the user’s baseline scores. Measurement data is just one piece of information that the app tracks. Users can also enter any of the following symptoms into the journal feature:
To manage symptoms and prevent attacks, the American Lung Association recommends individuals with asthma develop an asthma action plan with their doctor. iSonea created the AsthmaSense™ mobile application that packages many of the steps found in asthma action plans into a mobile format. The application reminds users when to take medications or test breathing, tracks their breathing ability, monitors symptoms, and alerts users when they are at risk for an attack. “We believe that if we can make monitoring easier for people, they will benefit from reduced ED visits and hospitalizations, lower healthcare costs related to asthma, and improved outcomes,” said Michael Cheney, VP of Marketing at iSonea Limited. To start, users create a profile that contains their personal information as well as the medications they are taking. Within their profile, users can create alerts that will remind them when to take their medications. The application also reminds patients to test their breathing using devices such as a Peak Flow Meter or a WheezoMeter™. Users can enter the data collected from measurement devices into the app, which will compare the readings to the user’s baseline scores. Measurement data is just one piece of information that the app tracks. Users can also enter any of the following symptoms into the journal feature:
- Wheeze
- Cough
- Short of breath
- Wake up at night
- Limits play or exercises
- Chest tightness
AsthmaSense analyzes users’ symptoms, measurement data, and medication doses and determines whether their asthma is well controlled. If users are at risk for an asthma attack, the app will alert them so they can take appropriate action. In the past, asthmatic individuals consulted asthma plan worksheets to determine the severity of their symptoms, which is only effective if individuals keep it on their person at all times. Having an interactive asthma plan in AsthmaSense in one’s mobile device is ideal because many people have it within arm’s reach at all times. Hopefully, AsthmaSense can provide some relief to the millions who suffer from asthma, and keep them out of the ED.
