Asthma attack? Here are first aid tips and what to do next

An asthma attack can be a terrifying experience for both the victim and the people around.

An attack can become an emergency, needing first aid and urgent medical attention.

According to St Johns Ambulance, one needs to first look for several symptoms and signs in a suspected attack.

The most common signs are difficulty breathing, wheezing and coughing, distress and anxiety, difficulty speaking shown through short sentences and whispering, signs of hypoxia such as a grey-blue tinge to the lips, earlobes and nailbeds and exhaustion in the case of a severe attack.

Asthma attacks, or flare-ups, happen when swelling or tightening narrows the airways, making it harder to breathe.

Attacks can come on quickly or gradually and may be life-threatening.

In an attack, help the patient sit upright and assist them with their inhaler

Encourage slow, deep breathing.

For mild attacks, symptoms should ease within a few minutes. If not, have them take one puff every 30-60 seconds, up to 10 puffs.

If the attack is severe, and they are getting worse, becoming exhausted, or if this is their first attack, call emergency numbers.

Monitor their breathing and level of response. If the ambulance hasn't arrived within 15 minutes, again, have them take one puff every 30-60 seconds, up to 10 puffs.

If they become unresponsive at any point, prepare to give CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

Asthma is an inflammation and obstruction of the bronchial tubes—the passages that allow air to enter and leave the lungs.

During an asthma attack, the muscles that surround the bronchial tubes constrict, narrowing the air passages and making it extremely difficult to breathe.

In Kenya, it has been estimated that about 7.5 per cent of the Kenyan population, nearly 4 million people, are currently living with asthma.

According to Director General for Health Patrick Amoth, limited studies suggest that a significant proportion of people with asthma are either not treated at all or are improperly treated with overuse of reliever medicines often taken as oral formulations.

“As a country, we are yet to establish robust and sustainable programmes for the care and treatment of people with asthma,” says Amoth.