Emergency Medical Condition – Asthma
19 July 2024
Emergency medical condition – asthma, is a respiratory medical condition. In an asthma attack, the muscles of the air passages in lungs go into spasm. As a result, the airways become narrowed, which makes breathing difficult.
Asthma Triggers
Sometimes, there is a recognised trigger for an attack. For example, an allergy, a cold, a particular drug or cigarette smoke. At other times, there is no obvious trigger. Many sufferers have sudden, unexpected attacks.
How to deal with Emergency Medical Condition – Asthma
People with asthma usually deal with their own attacks by using a reliever inhaler at the first sign of an attack. Most reliever inhalers have blue caps. Preventer inhalers have brown or white caps and are used to prevent attacks. They should never be used during an asthma attack.
Recognising Emergency Medical Condition – Asthma
Recognising Emergency Medical Condition – Asthma is usually very straightforward. Signs of Asthma are usually:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Wheezing.
- Difficulty speaking, leading to short sentences and whispering.
- 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 casualty may stop breathing and lose consciousness.
What to do in Emergency Medical Condition – Asthma
There are some steps we can take to help someone in Emergency Medical Condition – Asthma:
- Keep calm! Reassure the casualty. Get them to take their usual dose of the reliever inhaler. Ask them to breathe slowly and deeply.
- Sit them down in the position they find most comfortable.
- A mild attack should ease within a few minutes. If it does not, the casualty may take one to two puffs from their inhaler every two minutes until they have had ten puffs.
- Call 999/112 for emergency assistance if the attack is severe and one of the following occurs; the inhaler has no effect, the casualty is getting worse; breathlessness makes talking difficult, they are becoming exhausted.
- Help the casualty to continue to use their inhaler as required. Monitor their vital signs: breathing, pulse and level of response until help arrives.
For additional information about Asthma, please see eLearn Safety fully online course titled Common Medical Emergencies: Asthma. This course will provide information to gain a better understanding of asthma and associated risk factors.
In addition, this St. John Ambulance first aid training video shows you what signs to look out for and how to help someone having an asthma attack. If you think someone may be having an asthma attack, it is important to know how to help them:
How to Treat an Asthma Attack – First Aid Training – St John Ambulance
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearnsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
eLearn Online Health and Safety Training