Never ignore the severity of an asthma exacerbation because determining your risk for fatal asthma attack is important. Only 33% of asthma deaths occur in the hospital; which means that many asthma patients who die are either not seeking care or are not being hospitalized with their worsening asthma. Asthma and every attack have the potential to be life threatening. Fatal asthma can occur in anyone with mild intermittent to more severe asthma.

Patients at high risk of asthma-related death require intensive education and special care. Make sure you know if you are in one of the increased risk groups discussed below.Importantly, 80 to 85% who die from asthma develop progressive symptoms anywhere from 12 hours to several weeks before death. Only 15 to 20% die in less than 6 hours after developing symptoms. Thus, the vast majority of patients dying from asthma developed symptoms in a time frame that would have allowed them to seek appropriate medical care.

Quick action may help prevent an asthma attack from becoming an asthma emergency.

Signs you are having an ASTHMA ATTACK

• You have increasing wheezing, cough, chest tightness or shortness of breath  
• You are waking often at night with asthma symptoms  
• You need to use your reliever again within 3 hours

When is it an ASTHMA EMERGENCY?

• Your symptoms get worse very quickly  
• You have severe shortness of breath, can’t speak comfortably or lips look blue  
• You get little or no relief from your reliever inhaler

The following are required during emergency:

1. SIT THE PERSON UPRIGHT

Be calm and re-assuring

Do not leave the person alone

2. GIVE 4 SEPARATE PUFFS OF BLUE.GREY RELIEVER PUFFER

Shake puffer

Put 1 puff into spacer

Take 4 breaths from spacer

Repeat until 4 puffs have been taken.

REMEMBER: Shake, 1 puff, 4 breaths

3. WAIT 4 MINUTES

If there is no improvement, give 4 more separate puffs of blue/grey reliever as above

4. If there is no improvement, rush the person to the hospital as an emergency. Keep giving separate puff every 4 minutes until emergency assistance arrives.</str