The Complications of a Sudden Asmathic Attack

There was an unfortunate incident that happened in my neighborhood and I think I shared about it here, where a woman was found dead in her room, the situation was scary and suspicious so her mother asked that an autopsy be carried out. From the autopsy result, it turned out she died from an asthmatic attack and I was surprised because I never knew she was an asthmatic patient, she probably was able to manage the condition well, I thought.

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If she had been able to manage the condition well all these years, then I wonder why it suddenly led to an attack that resulted in death. Sudden asthmatic attacks happen and they are real, it is a sudden worsening of the asthmatic symptoms.

Asthma is a condition that makes breathing difficult because the airways in the lungs have become narrow. An asthmatic attack is also called asthma exacerbation or asthma flare-up, it comes with symptoms like; tightness in the chest, wheezing, coughing, and an inability to get sufficient air. These symptoms are there because the airway tightens up, making the airway get irritated and swollen, the lining of the airways also produces a fluid called mucus. With all these factors coming together at the same time, breathing becomes difficult.

People who have their asthmatic conditions under control take their medications regularly and do not always experience frequent asthmatic attacks. Emergency help should be gotten instantly if, the individual is having severe breathlessness or wheezing, cannot say beyond a few words at a time, has lips or fingertips that are turning blue or gray, is feeling confused or agitated, no relief coming from an inhaler.

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Before an asthmatic attack, some symptoms show up which may be warning signs before the major attack happens. If there has been more consistent use of an inhaler, disrupted sleep due to a nighttime asthmatic attack, difficulty with daily tasks, feeling breathless, or having a tight chest. The experience of these symptoms should lead to a visit to the hospital for an appropriate check-up.

Even if there hasn't been a clear reason behind this, asthmatic attacks have been noticed to happen more during the night time. A rescue inhaler should be kept close to the bed all the time especially if the patient usually has episodes of nighttime attacks, an episode of nighttime attacks can also be controlled by experts if it is reported, sometimes adjusting the time of medication can help.

While asthma in itself is a condition that can be managed, it could lead to complications that will affect a person's quality of life. It can cause interruption to a person's daily life, leading to absence from work or school, disrupted sleep that leads to daytime fatigue, and psychological conditions like depression or anxiety. Asthma medications can also cause some discomfort or conditions. Weight gain, bruising, cognitive changes, oral thrush, and bloating are strong possibilities.

An asthmatic attack can be prevented with the right medications and following advice from a health care professional. An expert can help to identify what could trigger an attack and how the patient should stay away from those allergic triggers which are most often, pollen, molds, air pollution, tobacco smoking, pest droppings, and dust mites.

If you have a serious asthmatic condition, you must be sure to be surrounded by close friends and family members all the time, in some advanced countries, there is an availability of a medical ID bracelet that can alert first responders in case of an attack.

Death from an asthmatic attack is possible with the presence of these risk factors, someone who has been on a ventilator for asthma, an unmanaged asthmatic condition, previous serious asthmatic attacks, or a compromised lung condition.

Now, I have a better understanding of the situation, she probably had an asthmatic condition she ignored because even her close friends were not aware of her being asthmatic. Probably, that night she died, she had a sudden attack and because she didn't have an inhaler or anyone at home with her, she lost her life in the process.

For Further Studies.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4404085/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20354268

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/asthma-attack-death#outlook

https://www.healthline.com/health/asthma/asthma-attack-death#complications

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2812%2961651-6/fulltext

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20354268

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Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people.