AN ASTHMA EMERGENCY

Asthma symptoms range from mild to life-threatening and from infrequent attacks to daily breathing issues. Asthma can be very serious, and an asthma attack can lead to death when not treated properly  in a timely manner. An asthma attack can come on and escalate very quickly. It’s recommended that interventions, such as use of an inhaler or bronchodilator, take place during an asthma attack before breathing capacity reaches 80% of normal. If the lungs continue to tighten and there is not enough airflow to produce a wheezing noise when breathing, the lungs are at 50% of normal capacity and it’s time to go to the hospital for intervention. At this point, if untreated, the asthma attack may lead to death.

P.S. People who do not receive adequate asthma treatment during an attack may experience cyanosis, the development of a blueish coloring around the lips and nails, which is caused by lack of oxygen in the blood.

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