asthma attack

Brief overview: asthma attack

• What to do in case of an asthma attack? Calm patients and bring them into a position where they can breathe well (usually with a slightly bent upper body), possibly animate the affected person to certain breathing techniques, administer asthma medications or assist the patient with the use of the preparations
• Asthma attack symptoms: acute shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, anxiety and restlessness, tachycardia, in severe cases oxygen deficiency (recognizable as bluish discolored lips) to death
• When to the doctor? In severe asthma attacks, because then life-threatening complications may occur.

Attention!

• Always give only one stroke from the inhaler, wait a few minutes before the next one.
• If, in acute asthma attacks, tachycardia and severe shortness of breath occur and the skin and lips turn bluish, you must immediately call the emergency doctor!
• Asthma attacks can occur again at any time after a (longer) symptom-free period.

Asthma Attack: What to do?

In case of an asthma attack, you should quickly provide first aid to ensure the person’s oxygenation. That’s what you should do:

• Quiet: Anxiety can increase respiratory distress. Therefore, you should definitely calm the patient.
• Right position: Certain postures facilitate breathing, eg. B. Coach seat (while sitting, support your hands or forearms on your knees, tilt your upper body slightly forward), riding seat (sit astride a chair, rest your arms on the back) or keep goalkeeper (stand with legs apart, slightly kneel, upper body forward bend, support hands on knees). Ask the patient in which position they feel most comfortable.
• breathing techniques: Often, asthmatics have learned certain breathing techniques to breathe more effectively in the event of a shortness of breath, such as the lip brake (when breathing out, loosen the lips loosely so that the air escapes with a slight noise). So the patient should exhale slower and longer. Try to get him to use learned breathing techniques in spite of fear.
• drugs: If necessary, help the patient with their emergency medications (eg inhalation spray).
• emergency doctorIn a severe asthma attack (normal speech is no longer possible, shallow breathing, blue coloring of lips and fingernails, etc.) you should call the emergency doctor as soon as possible!

Many asthma patients are well prepared for an asthma attack thanks to training. You have discussed with your doctor how to respond in case of emergency (stay calm, measure peak flow, use emergency and emergency medications – if necessary adjust dose, use breathing techniques, etc.). Support a patient in the implementation of his personal emergency plan!

Asthma attack: symptoms and risks

As threatening as symptoms like difficult breathing and chest tightness feel – usually an acute asthma attack resolves on its own. However, it can also get worse and assume dangerous levels with symptoms such as:

• severe shortness of breath
• fast but superficial breathing
• palpitations
• bluish discoloration of the lips and fingernails
• unrest
• Inability to say longer sentences
• Awareness disorders such as confusion or even unconsciousness

With such signs of a severe asthma attack, you must immediately call the ambulance!

A life-threatening complication is the Status asthmaticus, This is a very severe asthma attack, which can not be stopped despite the use of the usual drugs (such as cortisone, beta-2-sympathomimetics) and lasts more than 24 hours. Then gas exchange in the lungs may fail, eventually leading to impaired consciousness and respiratory arrest.

As a result of a severe asthma attack, it can also lead to an acute hyperinflation of the lungs. There will be a bit more air in the lungs with each breath than usual.

Asthma Attack: When to the doctor?

Patients with a very severe asthma attack should be hospitalized by an ambulance. Due to the difficult breathing, the body can be dangerously undersupplied with oxygen. The brain is particularly sensitive to a lack of oxygen. There is also the risk of life-threatening complications of the cardiovascular system.

Asthma attack: treatment by the doctor

The doctor (emergency physician) will administer the necessary asthma medication to the patient – active ingredients, as used by the patient himself as an emergency medication. These include, for example, beta-sympathomimetics for inhalation or as an infusion. They relax and dilate the airways. Also important is cortisone, which is given as a tablet or syringe. It inhibits the inflammatory response in the bronchi.

If necessary, the patient also receives oxygen via a nasogastric tube.

In a very severe asthma attack, patients must be treated promptly in the intensive care unit.

Prevent asthma attack

You can do some things to reduce the risk of an asthma attack:

• Avoid triggers: If possible, avoid known triggers for an asthma attack, e.g. cold air, house dust, stress, certain foods.
• No nicotine: You should not smoke (not passive). The smoke additionally irritates the lungs and intensifies the inflammatory processes there.
• to do sportsRegular exercise training with adjusted intensity can reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. The most suitable are endurance sports such as swimming. Do not exert yourself during training and start with light training sessions. Do not exercise in very cold or very dry air, outdoors at high ozone or pollen levels, or without warming up. Always take your emergency medications with you to the sport.

It also makes sense to participate in a special training program (Disease Management Program, DMP) for asthmatics. There you will learn important facts about asthma and get tips on how to better deal with the chronic illness. For example, they learn breathing techniques that help them breathe better during an asthma attack.