Status Asthmaticus

 

Clinical features:

(1) an acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma

(2) severe ventilatory obstruction progressing to respiratory failure

(3) failure to respond to appropriate initial therapy, typically nebulized bronchodilating agents

 

Implications:

(1) This is a medical emergency.

(2) The patient may need to be intubated and admitted to the intensive care unit.

(3) The patient is at increased risk for drug toxicity.

 

Limitation:

• There is considerable variation between authors in the definition of status asthmaticus.