STATUS ASTHMATICUS

Course overview

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS IN THE UNITED STATES IS STATUS ASTHMATICUS, AN ACUTE, EMERGENT EPISODE OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA THAT IS POORLY RESPONSIVE TO STANDARD THERAPEUTIC MEASURES. IF NOT RECOGNIZED AND TREATED IN A TIME-SENSITIVE MANNER, STATUS ASTHMATICUS CAN RAPIDLY ESCALATE INTO ACUTE VENTILATORY FAILURE AND POTENTIALLY BE FATAL. PATIENTS WITH ASTHMA AND THEIR FAMILIES SHOULD BE EDUCATED ABOUT THIS CONDITION AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN THEY SHOULD SEEK CARE. A TIME-SENSITIVE APPROACH TO RECOGNIZING SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS OF STATUS ASTHMATICUS FOLLOWED BY THE PROMPT ASSESSMENT OF AIRFLOW AND BLOOD GASSES AND RAPID ESCALATION OF TREATMENT BASED ON INITIAL TREATMENT RESPONSE IS KEY TO IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH STATUS ASTHMATICUS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF STATUS ASTHMATICUS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN CARING FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.