Potentially Fatal Asthma
If your asthma is properly treated, you can generally do well and live a normal life. However, some individuals are at a greater risk of dying from their asthma. You may be at a higher risk if you have a history of any of the following:
- Respiratory failure from asthma
- Airway intubation and mechanical ventilation for asthma
- Two or more recent episodes of severe asthma despite oral corticosteroid use
- Two or more recent complications of severe asthma
- Not accurately sensing your degree of respiratory difficulty
- Overuse or underuse of medications
The majority of individuals with potentially fatal asthma put themselves at risk by not complying with physician directions and follow-up visits, by overusing inhaler medication and/or by delaying access to specialty care.
