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Acute Asthma

  • Unable to complete sentences
  • RR >25/min
  • HR >110/min
  • PEF <50% of predicted or best

Life threatening

  • PEF <33% predicted or best
  • Silent chest
  • Bradycardia/hypotension
  • Exhaustion/confusion/coma
  • ABG PaCO2 - >5kPa

Pa O2 - <8kPa

pH - < 7.35

DD

  • Acute infective exacerbation of COPD
  • Pulmonary oedema
  • URT obstruction
  • PE
  • Anaphylaxis

Investigations

  • PEF
  • ABG
  • CXR (to exclude pneumothorax, infection)
  • FBC
  • U&E (particularly K+)

Treatment

  • High dose O2
  • Salbutamol 5mg
  • Hydrocortisone (100mg IV)/prednisolone (30mg PO)
  • Ipratopium 0.5mg
  • Theophylline
  • Magnesium Sulphate

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 29th, 2007 at 3:18 pm and is filed under Emergency Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Disclaimer: These notes are my own personal study aid - DO NOT use them for medical advice!