Trends in hospital-based management of acute asthma from a teaching hospital in South Asia.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the hospital-based management of acute asthma in south Asia and to compare practices over a 10-year period. Adult patients (n = 102) admitted at a teaching hospital with acute asthma were studied. Documentation of precipitating factors, family history and physical signs were inadequate in more than half of patients. Pulse oximetry was documented in 95 (93%) patients, but peak flow monitoring was performed only in 50 (49%) patients. Ten-year trend showed deterioration in history and physical examination skills, under use of peak flow readings, and poor pre-discharge instructions. Some aspects of improved care included frequent use of pulse oximeter, preference of inhaled over systemic bronchodilators and increased use of systemic steroids. Significant deficiencies were identified in hospital-based management of acute asthma. Most aspects of asthma care continued to fall short of asthma guidelines.
Hussain
S F
SF
Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Aga Khan University, PO Box 3500, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan. fayyaz.hussain@aku.edu
Omar
M D
MD
Arif
H
H
Sameeruddin
S R
SR
Zubairi
A B S
AB
Khan
J A
JA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D010154:Pakistan; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents