DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2015.v03i08.006

Pages: 673-676

Miss LTA, a 28 year old, known asthmatic presented to the accident and emergency unit of Federal Medical Centre, Gombe with 30 minutes history of breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness and altered consciousness. Examination revealed a young a lady who was restless, dysphoeic and drowsy, with central cyanosis. Respiratory rate was 42/min and rhonchi on auscultation. Heart rate was 130 per minute; oxygen saturation was 50% with pulsus paradoxus of 20. An assessment of respiratory failure in acute severe asthma was made. She had bronchodilators, endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit for 48 hours. She made a full recovery and was discharged on the 8th day of admission on salbutamol inhaler and tablets of prednisolone.