A quarter of asthma sufferers who go to hospital after suffering an asthma attack receive no information about follow-up treatment at all, according to new research.

This worrying new statistic was revealed by Asthma UK as it launched two new information booklets to highlight the emergency care issues facing people with asthma.

The booklets, After Your Asthma Attack, and After Your Child's Asthma Attack, have been developed to help people avoid unnecessary futher hospital visits and have been written in response to feedback from people with asthma and healthcare professionals.

Around one in six people with asthma who have to go to hospital because of an asthma attack need emergency treatment again within two weeks.

Yet three quarters of hospital admissions for asthma are thought to be preventable.

Asthma UK has found that only 35 per cent of people with asthma feel they know what to do after an asthma attack, and a shocking 51 per cent feel that they have not received enough care following an attack.

Carol White, asthma nurse specialist from the Asthma UK Adviceline, said: "People with asthma need to make a follow-up appointment with their doctor or asthma nurse within 48 hours of an attack, and another one within two weeks to make sure they get their symptoms back under control."

"It is important that they then continue to work together with their doctor or asthma nurse, with the help of a personal action plan, to keep their ashtma under control and avoid another attack."

For a free copy of either booklet, ask your healthcare professional, or visit www.asthma.org.uk