How prevalent are asthma-related deaths?
I've been having a bad episode with my asthma. I went to my allergist (and asthma) doctor today and of course had to do the dreaded blow-as-hard-as-you-can test (pulmonary function test? I've know idea). At any rate, the nurse said my results were "terrible". It was 30%. I'm not sure what that means, but my doctor told me if I didn't take my meds regularly and get the asthma under control, I "could die".
He mentioned this on more than one occasion and told me I "shouldn't take this lightly". He told me I fit the classic profile of people who die from asthma.
Needless to say, I'm rather freaked out. Should I be?
Answer by spiritwalker
get it under control, you should be fine. Take your meds daily. I have asthma, my last attack had me down for 2 weeks. Yeah it can lay you up for a while, if not lay you 6 ft under.
Answer by The mom
Yes, freaked out enough to take the doctor and your asthma seriously, and to take your medications as directed. I work in an ER, and unfortunately we have at least one or two asthma related fatalities per year. Most of the time those are due for the most part because the patients did not medicate properly or take the risk seriously. People do die from asthma attacks. After all, your brain and heart need oxygen on a continual basis, and if you don't breathe, you don't get that oxygen to them. So don't take your asthma lightly. Even if you do have medications, you need to stay constantly alert to avoid the triggers. Your PFT results were terrible, if it was 30%. That means your lungs function at 30% of their predicted capacity. Would you be comfy with 30% ability if this were your car? If 30% of your food were safe? No, I don't think so. You'd be looking for a new car, and safer food. Well, you can't get new lungs that easily- and since you need to breath to live, I suggest you take the doctor at his word and do what he recommends you do to get things in control. Unless you plan to grow gills, you don't have a lot of other options. Last year, almost 6000 Americans died of asthma attacks, and many others were left with brain, lung or heart damage from the lack of oxygen. Sometimes folks in the ER can save your life, but they can't fix the damage done by lack of oxygen. And sometimes, the worst cases, they can't even do that much. Don't be so freaked out you don't do anything, though. Be freaked out enough to do what you can to get in control and stay there. Asthma is most often controllable, and it's a shame to die because you won't do what you can.
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