Can Asthma Be a Life-Threatening Condition?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects breathing. While it’s a serious condition, effective treatment can protect you from severe complications. In fact, many people with asthma lead full and healthy lives.

At her office in Valencia, California, Dr. Maricar Cutillar-Garcia customizes asthma treatment to minimize symptoms and help you thrive.

Take a few moments to learn how serious asthma can be, plus ways to avoid the worst-case scenarios.

Asthma basics

While anyone can develop asthma, it’s more likely if you have allergies, a family history of asthma, or a smoking habit. Weight challenges, stress, and pollution exposure can also raise your risk.

Asthma can be intermittent, with symptoms that come and go throughout one's life, or it can be persistent, meaning one's symptoms are always present to some degree.

Childhood asthma may end by the time you reach adulthood. Adult onset asthma can start any time after age 18 and last indefinitely.

Common asthma symptoms include:

Coughing, particularly at night
Chest pain or pressure
Shortness of breath
Wheezing

Your symptoms may range from mild to severe and change throughout your life or in response to certain triggers, such as allergens or stress. When symptoms flare up suddenly, it’s known as an asthma attack.

Life-threatening asthma

Left untreated, asthma can be life-threatening. Asthma-related deaths typically happen when your breathing tubes fill with mucus, blocking breathing completely. These acute attacks can occur during the day or night. Acute asthma attacks often unfold over hours or days.

Sadly, roughly 10 people in the United States die from the disease each day. Severe asthma, which affects up to 10% of people with asthma, raises the risk of fatality.

Preventing asthma death

While an asthma attack can become life-threatening within minutes, you can protect your life and well-being.

Follow your personalized care plan to lower your risk of acute severe asthma. Daytime symptoms don’t diminish at night, so your plan will address around-the-clock management.

In addition to recommending effective medical treatment, Dr. Cutillar-Garcia will help you pinpoint your personal asthma triggers and suggest preventive lifestyle strategies.

Helpful practices she may recommend include:

Keeping your inhaler nearby
Managing stress
Engaging in appropriate exercise and avoiding over-exercise
Quitting smoking
Taking your asthma medication as prescribed
Getting vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19
Keeping your hands clean
Distancing yourself from people who are sick
Calling 911 if severe symptoms strike

If you have difficulty avoiding your asthma triggers or medications haven’t sufficed, Dr. Cutillar-Garcia may recommend allergy shots.

For personalized asthma treatment to help safeguard your respiratory health, call our office or book an appointment with Dr. Cutillar-Garcia through our website today.