asthma (life threatening)

Last reviewed 01/2018

Patients with severe or life threatening attacks may not be distressed and may not have all the listed features.

Features of life threatening asthma are:

  • PEF < 33% of predicted or best
  • silent chest
  • cyanosis
  • feeble respiratory effort
  • bradycardia
  • hypotension
  • exhaustion
  • confusion
  • coma

ref:Thorax1993;48 Supplement S1-S24