What do you need to know about status asthmaticus?
Status asthmaticus is an acute exacerbation of asthma that remains unresponsive to initial treatment with bronchodilators. Status asthmaticus can vary from a mild form to a severe form with bronchospasm, airway inflammation, and mucus plugging that can cause difficulty breathing, carbon dioxide retention, hypoxemia, and respiratory failure.
Are there any treatment options for refractory status asthmaticus?
Nevertheless, several prospective, randomized, controlled studies in children with refractory status asthmaticus have reexamined the role of the methylxanthines theophylline and aminophylline and have demonstrated improvement in the clinical asthma scores when compared with placebo control.
How is oxygen saturation measured in status asthmaticus?
Monitoring the patient’s oxygen saturation is essential during the initial treatment of status asthmaticus. Arterial blood gas (ABG) values are usually used to assess hypercapnia during the patient’s initial assessment. Oxygen saturation is then monitored via pulse oximetry throughout the treatment protocol.
What happens in the early stages of acute asthma?
In the early stages of acute asthma, hyperventilation may result in respiratory alkalosis. This is because obstructed lung units (slow compartment) are relatively less numerous than unobstructed lung units (fast compartment).
Outline some interprofessional strategies to improve outcomes for patients with status asthmaticus. Status asthmaticus is a medical emergency, an extreme form of asthma exacerbation characterized by hypoxemia, hypercarbia, and secondary respiratory failure.
What is pulsus paradoxus in status asthmaticus?
Pulsus paradoxus is the difference between end-expiratory and end-inspiratory systolic blood pressure. It is augmented to more than 12 mm Hg in status asthmaticus, although it may paradoxically decline in late-stage with increasing fatigability and loss of respiratory drive.
How long does a status asthma attack last?
It refers to an asthma attack that doesn’t improve with traditional treatments, such as inhaled bronchodilators. These attacks can last for several minutes or even hours. Read on to learn more about the symptoms of status asthmaticus and how you can manage this condition to avoid complications.