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Acute Reversible Airflow Obstruction (Asthma)

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Topics in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

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Abstract

Acute reversible airflow obstruction refers to asthma in contrast to chronic states of airflow obstruction that may be less readily and completely reversed by pharmacologic strategies discussed in detail in Chapter 18. The extreme of uncontrolled asthma is status asthmaticus, which represents a severe and pernicious stage of disease. It has been wisely stated that the best time to treat status asthmaticus is 3 days before it happens. Were this possible, or if asthma could be maintained in a state of relative quiescence, life would be much more pleasant for patients, their families, and the physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists involved in their care. This happy ideal is not always achieved. Accordingly, this chapter focuses on treatment strategies for acute, life-threatening asthma, the epitome of acute reversible airflow obstruction.

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Authors
  1. Thomas L. Petty
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Pharmacology Section, University of Southern California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, 90033, USA

    Robert F. Maronde (Professor of Medicine, Head) (Professor of Medicine, Head)

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Petty, T.L. (1986). Acute Reversible Airflow Obstruction (Asthma). In: Maronde, R.F. (eds) Topics in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4864-4_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4864-4_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9336-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-4864-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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