Possible explanations of sudden death in a patient with asthma:
(1) severe asthma (status asthmaticus, rapid onset asthma)
(2) anaphylaxis
(3) failure to adequately treat asthma
(4) drug toxicity including idiosyncratic reactions and drug interactions
(5) ventricular arrhythmia
(6) myocardial injury
(7) adrenal insufficiency
(8) suicide
(9) fulminant infection
(10) aspiration or upper airway obstruction
(11) drug overdose
Things to look for:
(1) myocardial contraction band necrosis (MCBN) when examining the heart
(2) toxicology for drugs of abuse
(3) blood levels of therapeutic agents
(4) foreign body in the upper airway
(5) recent medication use
(6) exposures prior to death
(7) pulmonary embolism
