Question:medium
Consider the following statements. The features of severe asthma include:
- Central cyanosis.
- Disturbance of consciousness.
- Pulsus paradoxus.
- Heart rate less than 60 per minute.
Which of these statements are correct?
Consider the following statements. The features of severe asthma include:
- Central cyanosis.
- Disturbance of consciousness.
- Pulsus paradoxus.
- Heart rate less than 60 per minute.
Which of these statements are correct?
Show Hint
Severe asthma causes tachycardia and hypoxia signs, not a slow heart rate.
Updated On: Jul 7, 2026
- 2, 3 and 4
- 1, 3 and 4
- 1, 2 and 3
- 1, 2 and 4
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Set the picture of a bad asthma attack.
In severe asthma the airways are so narrow that the patient works hard to breathe and oxygen levels drop.
Step 2: Check cyanosis.
Low oxygen shows as a bluish tinge on the lips and tongue, called central cyanosis. This is seen in severe attacks, so statement 1 holds.
Step 3: Check the mind.
When oxygen keeps falling and carbon dioxide builds up, the brain suffers first, and the patient can become drowsy or agitated. A change in consciousness is a red flag sign, so statement 2 holds.
Step 4: Check the pulse pattern.
Struggling to breathe creates large pressure swings inside the chest, and this drops the blood pressure more than usual with each breath in. This is pulsus paradoxus, a known feature of severe attacks, so statement 3 holds.
Step 5: Check the heart rate.
A severe attack speeds the heart up, it does not slow it down. A heart rate under 60 beats per minute would actually suggest the patient is close to respiratory arrest, not a standard feature of severity, so statement 4 fails.
Step 6: Put it together.
Only statements 1, 2 and 3 describe severe asthma correctly.
\[ \boxed{1,\ 2\ \text{and}\ 3} \]
In severe asthma the airways are so narrow that the patient works hard to breathe and oxygen levels drop.
Step 2: Check cyanosis.
Low oxygen shows as a bluish tinge on the lips and tongue, called central cyanosis. This is seen in severe attacks, so statement 1 holds.
Step 3: Check the mind.
When oxygen keeps falling and carbon dioxide builds up, the brain suffers first, and the patient can become drowsy or agitated. A change in consciousness is a red flag sign, so statement 2 holds.
Step 4: Check the pulse pattern.
Struggling to breathe creates large pressure swings inside the chest, and this drops the blood pressure more than usual with each breath in. This is pulsus paradoxus, a known feature of severe attacks, so statement 3 holds.
Step 5: Check the heart rate.
A severe attack speeds the heart up, it does not slow it down. A heart rate under 60 beats per minute would actually suggest the patient is close to respiratory arrest, not a standard feature of severity, so statement 4 fails.
Step 6: Put it together.
Only statements 1, 2 and 3 describe severe asthma correctly.
\[ \boxed{1,\ 2\ \text{and}\ 3} \]
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