Asthma: Risk of fatal asthma attack - indicators

Maybe a scoring system could be devised so as to concentrate on those most at risk.

All our patients should have a family history recorded in any case - adding a remark that there is no FH of asthma or that there is no FH of sudden death is possibly worthwhile.

2% of population randomly would have first degree relative who died from Asthma.
In 170 near-misses, 28% had a first degree relative who died of asthma.

Another study looked at psycho-social factors in 533 asthma deaths.
Patients under 65 compared to matched controls who had been admitted but survived.

• Poor inhaler technique
• repeated non-attendance (56% higher)
• financial/employment problems (41% higher risk)
• prescription of anti-psychotics or mention of psyuchosis in notes ( 71% higher )
• alcohol./drug abuse (44%)

But not:-
depression, bereavement, social isolation or family problems.