16 year old Max plays soccer and he has noticed that recently he gets winded when he runs during games and practice. He has a history of asthma that was diagnosed when he was 7 years old. He had been well controlled on Beclovent 42 mcg taken twice daily. He admits that he stopped using his inhaler about 4 months ago because he was feeling fine and also is concerned about using a steroid. Today he exhibits some mild expiratory wheezing in all lobes, which clear after he takes two puffs of his Albuterol inhaler. Prior to treatment, his peak flow is 60% of normal and after it is 80% of normal.

This learning activity was developed by Christine Pintz, FNP, MSN, coordinator of the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the George Washington University, in collaboration with Partnerships for Training, an Association of Academic Health Centers program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.