Author: Rachel Furness / Editor: Yasmin Sultan / Codes: / Published: 18/05/2022
A 43-year-old man with known asthma presents to the Emergency Department (ED) with increasing breathlessness and cough for 2 days. He can complete short sentences in one breath but becomes short of breath on mobilising from the waiting room to the assessment area. He is a non-smoker and between exacerbations is able to run long distance, recently completing a half marathon.
On assessment:
His PEF (peak expiratory flow) is 55% predicted, RR 22, Sats 96%, HR 115, BP 120/80, T 36.5
