Surrey First Aid Training Ltd - Outstanding Quality Training Since 2000

Asthma - Is it really life threatening?

Surrey First Aid Training Ltd - Specialists in First Aid Courses since 2000

The national response programme from ambulances by the NHS has recently changed the category of which they respond to asthma attacks from 18 minutes to 8 minutes. With the emphasis on immediate response, it is important to understand how asthma is a life-threatening condition. 

Asthma is considered one of the most common medical conditions in children. Asthma can be triggered by allergens around us and within our bodies creating an inflammatory response where the bronchioles tighten making it hard for the person suffering to breathe. The attack itself may be minor and require only a rest and an administration of the steroid inhaler. Sometimes though the attack could be severe.

A severe asthma attack is defined as:

In an asthma attack the airways become swollen and inflamed. The muscles around the airways contract and the airways produce extra mucus, causing the breathing (bronchial) tubes to narrow.

Symptoms of a minor asthma attack get better with prompt home treatment. A severe asthma attack that doesn't improve with home treatment can become a life-threatening emergency.

The symptoms are:

  • Severe breathlessness or wheezing
  • The inability to speak more than short phrases due to shortness of breath
  • Working the chest muscles to breathe
  • Grunting with effort in small children or bobbing of their head
  • No improvement after using a quick-acting (rescue) inhaler
    The reason why this is considered life threatening is patients can get very tired very quickly, and their deterioration is rapid. With an elevated heart rate and changes to blood chemistry levels this can trigger a life theatening change to the heart. Even though cardiac arrest due to asthma is rare, the Global Burden of Disease reports that bronchial asthma is responsible for 420,000 deaths per year worldwide.
  • What to do in a life threatening asthma attack?
    If you believe someone is having a life-threatening asthma attack it is important to call 999 quickly and state 'severe asthma' and then place the patient in a comfortable upright position. Continue to give inhalers, nebulisers, and oxygen in accordance with the instructions until the ambulance gets there in 8 minutes.