How to Help Someone in an Asthma Attack?
In an asthma attack, the muscles of the air passages in the lungs go into spasm. As a result, the airways become narrowed, which makes breathing difficult.
Sometimes, there is a recognized trigger for an attack, such as an allergy, a cold, a particular drug, or cigarette smoke. At other times, there is no obvious trigger. Many sufferers have sudden attacks.
People with asthma usually deal with their own attacks by using a “reliever” inhaler at the first sign of an attack.
Important!
Most reliever inhalers have blue caps. Preventer inhalers have brown or white caps and are used to help prevent attacks. They should not be used during an asthma attack.
Recognition:
■ Difficulty breathing.
■ Wheezing.
■ Difficulty speaking, leading to short sentences and whispering.
■ Coughing.
■ Distress and anxiety.
■ Features of hypoxia, such as a grey-blue tinge to the lips, earlobes, and nailbeds (cyanosis).
■ Exhaustion in a severe attack. If the attack worsens the victim may stop breathing and become unresponsive.
What to do:
- Keep calm and reassure the victim. Get her to take the usual dose of her reliever inhaler; use a spacer if she has one. Ask her to breathe slowly and deeply.
- Sit her down in the position she finds most comfortable.
- A mild attack should ease within a few minutes. If it does not, the victim may take one to two puffs from her inhaler every two minutes until she has had ten puffs.
- Call for emergency help if the attack is severe and one of the following occurs:
— the inhaler has no effect.
— the victim is getting worse.
— breathlessness makes talking difficult.
— she is becoming exhausted. - Help the victim to continue to use her inhaler as required. Monitor her vital signs — breathing, pulse, and level of response — until help arrives.
CAUTION!
■■ If this is a first attack and the victim has no medication, call for emergency help immediately.
■■ If the victim becomes unresponsive, open the airway and check for breathing.
Special Case: Using a Spacer Device
A spacer device can be fitted to an asthma inhaler to help a victim breathe in the medication more effectively. They are especially useful when giving medication to young children.
Main Aims:
. To ease breathing. To obtain medical help if necessary
Thank you for Reading.😊
I hope I was able to provide a good amount of information.
Have a Nice Day.😊
