Acute severe asthma in adults

Acute severe asthma represents a common medical emergency, accounting for >65,000 UK hospital admissions each year, and asthma still accounts for approximately 1400 UK deaths annually. Risk factors for fatal asthma include poorly controlled disease, inappropriate medical management and adverse behavioural and social factors. Asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation, resulting in periodic wheeze, cough and breathlessness. A variety of triggers, most commonly viral respiratory tract infections, can cause exacerbations.