[From asthmatic crisis to severe acute asthma].

Life-threatening acute attacks constitute the major complication of asthma. These attacks develop progressively or abruptly, within minutes. They are responsible for a mortality rate which in France has been estimated at 3 in 100,000 inhabitants. Most of the deaths occur before any medical assistance is given. Such deaths in serious attacks are caused by bronchial obstruction and not by possible cardiovascular complications. Since inflammation of the bronchi is now thought to be the primum movens of these near-fatal to fatal attacks, nothing but an early and prolonged anti-inflammatory treatment can prevent them. Because no precise profile of subjects at risk can be drawn, it is necessary to supervise with the utmost attention all patients who suffer from attacks of acute asthma which, unless proven otherwise, should be regarded as potentially serious: signs of severity must be systematically looked for, and strict therapeutic and monitoring measures must be taken.