Can an Asthma Crisis Kill?

Expert answer:

Yes, an asthma attack It can kill. If not treated properly, asthma can lead to death due to the blockage it causes in the airways, making it difficult to breathe and oxygenate the organs of the body.

During a severe asthma attack, the person may need the aid of breathing apparatus. In these cases, often times the patient does not resist and may die.

This is because airway "clogging" caused by asthma impairs the entry and exit of air from the lungs, causing shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.

Without treatment, asthma can make this blockage of the airways irreversible and the person can no longer deliver the amount of oxygen that the body's organs need to function properly. In severe crises, this lack of oxygen can lead to death.

To know if asthma is controlled, you should observe its signs and symptoms. If the person has submitted, at least once in the last 4 weeks, any of the following, it is possible that the disease is not under control:

  • Symptoms during the day, more than 2 times a week;
  • Wake up at night because of asthma;
  • Use medicines to relieve shortness of breath more than 2 times a week;
  • Limitation of daily activities due to asthma.

In such cases, the patient should seek their pulmonologist for evaluation. To prevent asthma attacks that can kill, it is essential to follow the treatment correctly and continuously, while always being careful about the environment.

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