[Acute asthma and coma in Emergency Department: a case report]

Recenti Prog Med. 2008 Jan;99(1):33.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

Acute asthma is a common medical emergency. The goals of therapy are therefore to remove hypoxaemia, improve airflow limitation and prevent death. We describe the case of a 51-year-old woman with asthma admitted to Emergency Department after complaining acute respiratory failure and coma. The improvement of respiratory failure, after administration of high concentration of oxygen, beta-2 agonist and corticosteroids, wasn't associated at improvement of consciousness. The deterioration of blood gases dont justified coma. Having a suspicion the patient takes some benzodiazepines, we administered flumazenil and the patient improved adequately.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Asthma / complications*
  • Coma / etiology*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Respiratory Insufficiency / complications*