Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) Zones

Peak expiratory flow tracks the fastest speed you can exhale. Comparing today's reading to your personal best places you in a green, yellow, or red asthma action-plan zone.

Peak Flow Zone (vs. Personal Best)

L/min
Your highest reading when well.
Enter a value between 100 and 800.
L/min
Today's measurement.
Enter a value between 50 and 800.
Percent of Personal Best
84%
of personal best
Green zone — good control
Current
420 L/min
Best
500 L/min

How It's Calculated

Formula
% of best = (Current PEF ÷ Personal Best PEF) × 100

What the Result Means

≥ 80%

Green zone — good control, continue usual plan.

50–80%

Yellow zone — caution; use reliever and follow the action plan.

< 50%

Red zone — danger; seek medical care now.

The Action-Plan Zones

Zones are set as a percentage of your personal best reading.

GREEN ≥ 80% good control YELLOW 50-80% caution RED < 50% seek care

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use personal best instead of the predicted population value?

Individual variation is significant, so tracking against a person's own best measured value is generally considered more clinically useful than the population-predicted number for day-to-day asthma monitoring.

What are the peak flow zones?

Green is at or above 80% of personal best (good control), yellow is 50–80% (caution — use reliever and follow the action plan), and red is below 50% (danger — seek medical care).

How do I find my personal best?

Record your highest peak flow reading over a 2–3 week period when your asthma is well controlled; that value becomes the reference for your zones.

What's a normal adult peak flow?

Roughly 390–740 L/min depending on age, height, and sex — but the personal-best comparison matters more than the population range for monitoring.

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