Table 6.
Risk factors for asthma exacerbations or asthma-related deaths
| Increased risk of asthma exacerbations | Increased risk of death |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled asthma symptoms | |
| High SABA usea | |
| Use (currently or until recently) of OCS | |
| Inadequate ICS use (not prescribed, wrongly inhaled, poor adherence) | No ICS inhalations; poor adherence to prescribed asthma medications, no asthma action plan (or not followed) |
| Low FEV1 (especially <60 % predicted) | |
| Serious psychosocial problems | |
| Exposed to: smoking, allergens (in case of existing allergy) | Existing food allergy |
| Sputum or blood eosinophilia | |
| Pregnancy | |
| Previously intubated or in an intensive care unit for asthma | Near-lethal episode with intubation and ventilation |
| ≥1 serious exacerbations in the last 12 months | Hospitalization or presentation in the emergency room due to asthma in the last year |
aIncreased risk of death with >1 package of a salbutamol (or similar) MDI