QuestionSBA
QuestionChoice
A moderate asthma attack includes a PEFR of 50-75% best, normal speech, and a pulse of <110. The patient does not meet any of these criteria.
10004022
b
Moderate
QuestionChoice
In a near-fatal asthma attack, the patient's PaCO2 levels are above the normal range indicating complete exhaustion and CO2 retention. The patient in this question has not yet reached this level.
10004024
d
Near-Fatal
QuestionChoice
According to the NICE guidelines, asthma attacks are stratified into near-fatal, life-threatening, severe and moderate classifications. Therefore mild is not correct.
10004025
e
Mild
QuestionChoice
While the heart rate and PEFR fall under the classification of a "severe" attack, the patient's pCO2 is in the normal range indicating that the patient is tired. Thus, it is classified as a life-threatening asthma attack.
10004021
a
Life-threatening
QuestionChoice
While the patient has a pulse rate of >110 and a PEFR that is at 41% of her normal baseline which would classify as a severe asthma attack, the normal CO2 levels indicate that this is life-threatening.
10004023
c
Severe
Concept
Chapter
2693
3725
Asthma
Topic
132
Respiratory
13351
A 17-year-old girl is admitted to A&E for an acute asthma attack. She is too breathless to speak. Observations show that she has a heart rate of 115 (<100), a PEFR of 250ml (normal: 600ml) and a PaCO2 of 5.0 kPa (4.7-6.0 kPa).

Which of the following is the most appropriate classification of her asthma attack
a