Exacerbations of severe asthma: a focus on steroid therapy.

摘要: Bronchial asthma remains one of the most common chronic diseases in world; approximately 10% patients shows exacerbations severe enough to be judged life-threatening, whereas around 2-20% are admitted Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Acute is a dangerous condition where deterioration asthmatic exacerbation usually progresses over days or weeks, although few hours even minutes. Morbidity and mortality mainly related underestimation severity exacerbation, delay referring hospital inadequate emergency treatment. The cornerstone measures therapy for acute oxygen supplementation, as achieve arterial saturation >90%, repetitive continuous administration bronchodilators (short-acting inhaled β2-agonists ipratropium bromide) corticosteroids. Despite extensive clinical experience treatment with steroids, there considerable uncertainty about accurate use these agents settings.