# Asthma emergency 

Go to the [[First Aid Main Page]] or the [[Master Contents Page]]

An asthma emergency is potentially life-threatening. 
Most people who suffer asthma attacks are aware of their asthma and should 
have an action plan and medication. They may wear a medical alert device. In an emergency, or if a patient does not have their own reliever, use another person’s reliever (if permitted under local state or territory regulations), or one from a first aid kit. 
If the patient is having difficulty breathing but has not previously had an asthma attack, follow WHAT TO DO 

Signs and symptoms 
Mild to moderate asthma attack 
• 
increasingly soft to loud wheeze 

• 
persistent cough 

• 
minor to obvious difficulty breathing 



Asthma emergency 
• 
symptoms get worse very quickly 

• 
little or no relief from inhaler 

• 
severe shortness of breath, focused only on breathing 

• 
unable to speak normally 

• 
pallor, sweating 

• 
progressively more anxious, subdued or panicky 

• 
blue lips, face, earlobes, fingernails 

• 
loss of consciousness 



What to do 
1 Follow DRSABCD. 2 Help the patient to sit down in a comfortable position. 3 Reassure and stay with the patient. 4 If requested, help the patient to follow their action 
plan. 

How to give medication (4:4:4) 
Use a spacer if available. 1 Give 4 separate puffs of blue/grey reliever puffer: 
• 
shake the inhaler 

• 
give 1 puff 

• 
take 4 breaths 


• repeat until 4 puffs have been given. 2 Wait 4 minutes 3 If there is no improvement, give 4 more separate puffs of blue/grey reliever as above. 4 If the patient still cannot breath normally, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. 
5 Keep giving 4 puffs every 4 minutes (as above) until medical aid arrives.