Increased Risk of Death From Asthma
It is important to maintain good control of
asthma, because asthma can cause death. Children and
adults who have had one or more severe, life-threatening asthma attacks (status asthmaticus) are at increased risk of death from asthma.
Also, if people with asthma don't follow their treatment plans and they
overuse quick-relief medicine, they may not seek care when it is needed. This
might increase their chances of having severe asthma attacks that could be
life-threatening or cause death.
Other factors that may increase
the risk of death from asthma include:1
- Not having a written asthma action plan.
- Prior need for a breathing tube (intubation) for
asthma.
- Two or more hospital stays for asthma in the past
year.
- Three or more visits to the emergency room in the past year.
- A stay in the hospital or an emergency room visit for asthma in the
past month.
- Not being able to tell whether breathing is becoming
worse.
- Use of illegal drugs.
- Living in
poverty.
- Having a serious mental illness.
- Having another health problem, such as
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or
cardiovascular disease.
- Allergy to a certain kind of outdoor mold
(Alternaria).
References
Citations
National Institutes of Health (2007). National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (NIH
Publication No. 08–5846). Available online:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Rohit K Katial, MD - Allergy and Immunology |
| Last Revised | February 13, 2011 |