Seizures and asthma

A severe lack of oxygen can affect the brain, but a seizure may instead have another cause such as very low blood sugar, infection, substance withdrawal, a neurological condition or a medicine-related problem. Do not assume asthma explains the event.

A seizure can involve loss of awareness, body stiffening, rhythmic jerking, unusual staring or unresponsiveness. Breathing and skin colour may change. Afterward, the person may be confused, sleepy, agitated or unable to remember what happened.

Severe asthma can present with extreme breathlessness, inability to speak, exhaustion, confusion or blue-grey colour around the lips. Collapse or seizure in that setting indicates critical illness, regardless of how much wheezing can be heard.

Call emergency services. Protect the person from nearby hazards, cushion the head, loosen tight clothing around the neck and note when the seizure began. Once jerking stops, place them on their side if breathing, and remain with them.

Do not restrain movement, put anything in the mouth or give food, drink or oral medicine until fully alert. If the person is not breathing normally after the movements stop, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation if trained and follow the emergency call handler's instructions.

Emergency assessment is needed for a first seizure, repeated seizures, injury, pregnancy, breathing difficulty, failure to regain awareness or a seizure occurring in water. A seizure alongside suspected severe asthma already meets the threshold for an emergency call.

The team may assess oxygenation, blood glucose, infection, medicines and neurological causes while treating breathing problems. Give them the asthma action plan, inhalers, medication list and any reliable account of what happened, but do not delay the call to gather these items.

Ask what likely caused the seizure, whether further neurological or metabolic assessment is required, and how asthma control should be reviewed. Clarify medicine changes, activity or driving restrictions, seizure first aid for family members and the symptoms that warrant another emergency call.