title: Asthma control and prior medical care of patients presenting with acute asthma at the emergency department.
abstract: Seventy patients presented with acute asthma at the emergency department of the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur were recruited over a two-week period in July 2001. Fifty-one (73%) patients belonged to the poorly controlled group. Fifty-seven (81%) patients were using inhaled salbutamol but 21 (30%) were still using oral short acting salbutamol. Only 32 (46%) patients used inhaled corticosteroids. In the poorly controlled group, 22 (43.1%) patients were not on regular inhaled corticosteroids, 35 (68.6%) were not receiving "add-on" medication and 18 (35%) did not have regular follow up. The emergency department should implement a protocol for asthma management and follow up to achieve better long term patient care.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak.
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Khoo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents