Heroic Medical Measures in the Crashing Asthmatic

  1. Pre-oxygenate your patient with high flow nasal cannula at 20 – 30 LPM
  2. Next consider using IM Epinephrine 0.3 – 0.5mg of 1:1000. Severe asthmatics will have a hard time getting inhaled beta agonists into the small airways, but parenteral epinephrine will get into the circulation and get to where it needs to provide support.
  3. Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV)
  4. Corticosteroids
  5. 2g IV Magnesium and repeat it up to 2 more times over an hour
  6. Give IVF at a dose of 30cc/kg because patients with acute asthma exacerbations because patients will have insensible losses.

…and many more including intubating and ventilating the Crashing Asthmatic Patient…great read.

 

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EMKF

Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation (EMKF) is an NGO supporting emergency healthcare providers across Kenya to save lives by strengthening the emergency healthcare system through capacity building, knowledge development, advocacy and research.