ABSTRACT
We understand the disease process: near fatal and fatal asthma are now problems of physician communication and patient compliance.
A. Definitions
Fatal asthma: Patients that have succumbed to acute asthma. Rapidly fatal asthma: Patients that have succumbed to acute asthma within three
hours of the onset of symptoms. Slowly fatal asthma: Patients that succumbed to acute asthma greater than 3 hr after
the onset of symptoms. Near fatal asthma: An acute asthma attack that results with respiratory arrest or
Paco2 greater than 50 mmHg (6.7 pka).
