A 21 year old female college student presents to the ED complaining of headache, fatigue, dizziness, and decreased exercise tolerance. The patient states that she recently returned home from spring break vacation and partied a lot in the past week. During your physical exam, you notice that her lips are cyanotic, her pulse ox is 86% on room air but she appears to be breathing comfortably.
A 79 year old female is sent in by urgent care for a CT scan of the chest after a plain film demonstrates a sternal fracture after MVC. "No problem," you think as you order the CT and go about your shift. A few hours later, however, you hear the dreaded "I need a doctor in here!" from your patient's room....
Less than 5 percent of patients hospitalized for acute asthma exacerbation will require mechanical ventilatory support. However, ventilator management in status asthmaticus is unique and the impact of increased airway resistance on ventilation strategies must be understood to avoid life-threatening complications like severe acidosis, barotrauma and hypotension.
