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Asthma exacerbations · 5: Assessment and management of severe asthma in adults in hospital

¹ Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand
² Wellington Hospital, Capital and Coast District Health Board, Wellington, New Zealand

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor Richard Beasley
Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, P O Box 10055, Wellington, New Zealand; richard.beasley{at}mrinz.ac.nz

It is difficult to understand why there is such a huge discrepancy between the management of severe asthma recommended by evidence-based guidelines and that observed in clinical practice. The recommendations are relatively straightforward and have been widely promoted both in guidelines and reviews. Specialist physicians need to be more proactive in their implementation of such guidelines through the use of locally derived protocols and assessment sheets, reinforced by audit. The common occurrence of severe asthma and its considerable burden to the community would support such an approach.

Abbreviations: CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; HDU, high dependency unit; ICU, intensive care unit; NIPPV, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation; PaO₂, PaCO₂, arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide tension; PEF, peak expiratory flow; PVCD, paradoxical vocal cord dysfunction; SpO₂, oxygen saturation

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