Case Records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Case 15-2007. A 20-Year-old Woman with Asthma and Cardiorespiratory Arrest.

A 20-year-old woman with a history of severe asthma was found at home in an unresponsive state and was taken to the emergency room. Asthma had been diagnosed at 4 years of age, with multiple exacerbations thereafter that required hospitalization. The patient and her mother had not followed environmental and medication regimens. In the weeks before admission, the patient had visited many emergency rooms and clinics because of exacerbations. She was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. An autopsy was performed.