ABSTRACT
Case 1: asthma – sudden severe attack and death caused by hairspray A 28 year old hairdresser was asymptomatic when she arrived at work. She regularly used aerosol hair conditioners at work and had previously noted that they induced a little breathlessness. On the morning in question, immediately after use she developed acute very severe asthma. The ambulance was called immediately and delivered her to hospital within 10 minutes of the call. She had a respiratory arrest on the way to hospital. By the time she arrived in Accident and Emergency she had stopped breathing for five minutes. Resuscitation was successful in that circulation was restored after she had been intubated and ventilated with oxygen. She had severe brain damage because of this arrest and the prolonged hypoxia. She was ventilated for 10 days in intensive care, but never regained consciousness and died. Comment There was no question of fault, that is, negligence, on the part of anyone. This was an example of a sudden severe fatal attack in which, despite the most rapid treatment, practically nothing could be done fast enough.
