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Life-threatening asthma — SCE Respiratory MCQ

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HardAsthmaLife-threatening asthmaSCE Respiratory

A patient with acute asthma is drowsy with a silent chest, respiratory rate 10/min, pH 7.21 and PaCO2 8.4 kPa despite maximal initial treatment. Which immediate action is required?

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Correct answer: EUrgent anaesthetic and critical-care intervention for intubation

Drowsiness, silent chest, bradypnoea and hypercapnic acidosis indicate impending respiratory arrest. An experienced anaesthetic and critical-care team must secure the airway and ventilate urgently while ongoing asthma treatment continues.

Reference: NICE NG245: Asthma diagnosis, monitoring and chronic management. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng245/chapter/recommendations; BTS Guideline for Oxygen Use in Adults. https://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/quality-improvement/guidelines/emergency-oxygen/