Get to know more about the term Code Blue Asthma

Code blue is one of the emergency codes in hospitals. This code indicates that there are patients who experience cardiac arrest or respiratory failure and need to get immediate help. So, code blue asthma can be interpreted that there are patients who have stopped breathing due to asthma.

In the protocol for patient care at the hospital, the term code is known. This code is represented by a variety of colors and each color has a different meaning. The code allows medical personnel at the hospital to respond quickly to any emergency or other conditions according to the color of the code.

One code that is often used in hospitals is the blue code. As previously explained, a blue code is issued when a patient experiences cardiac arrest or stopping breathing.

This emergency condition can occur in patients suffering from certain diseases, such as:

• Heart problems, such as heart attacks, heart failure, or heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias)
• Asthma attack
• Shock
• Stroke

Well, code blue asthma means there are patients in the hospital who have stopped breathing or respiratory failure due to asthma.

What is the Handling Procedure in Code Blue Asthma?

Every hospital has a different blue asthma code protocol. However, the goal of this emergency treatment procedure remains the same, which is to save patients who experience respiratory failure due to asthma.

The blue asthma code protocol involves doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, and respiratory therapists. The following are the steps for handling the patient if the blue asthma code occurs:

Step 1

If the patient experiences stopping breathing in the inpatient room, medical assistance will be performed in the patient's bed. If breathing stops occur not while the patient is being hospitalized, then help is done in the emergency room.

When treating patients who are in the condition of code blue asthma, the doctor will first examine the patient's vital signs, such as pulse, breathing, blood pressure, and the level of patient awareness.

Step 2

Furthermore, the doctor will perform a heart pulmonary resuscitation procedure (CPR) so that the patient continues to get a steady supply of oxygen and the blood flow in his body does not stop. The CPR action, also called CPR, is performed by opening or opening the respiratory pathway, providing breathing assistance, and pressing the chest.

Step 3

If the patient is still unable to breathe on his own and his heart rate is undetected or irregular, the doctor will provide electricity through a heart shock device called a defibrillator.

The use of a defibrillator combined with an RJP aims to restore and stabilize the patient's heart rhythm. If the first attempt has not succeeded in restoring the patient's heart rate, the doctor will perform a heart shock and RJP again, usually with greater electricity.

Step 4

If the patient's heart is beating again, the doctor or nurse will install a breathing apparatus to provide oxygen to the patient and an IV tube to channel fluids and medications to stabilize the patient's condition.

Step 5

After the doctor has confirmed that the patient's condition has stabilized and emergency help in the code blue has been carried out, the patient will undergo treatment and monitoring. The doctor will also conduct further treatment to overcome the cause of patients experiencing respiratory failure.

For patients with respiratory failure caused by asthma, the doctor will give asthma medication to widen the airway and prevent asthma from recurring or worsening. If necessary, the doctor may install a ventilator to help the patient breathe.

Medications for asthma, such as bronchodilators, adrenaline, and corticosteroids, can be given either intravenously or through a tube that is connected to the patient's airway (endotracheal tube / ETT).

First Aid for Asthma Sufferers with Severe Shortness of Breath

When people with asthma experience severe shortness of breath or do not go away with the usual treatment, do the following:

Contact medical help

Immediately call an ambulance or prepare transportation to bring asthmatics to the hospital. If you have difficulty calling an ambulance, people with asthma need to ask for help from others to seek help.

While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, asthmatics are advised not to panic. Sit in an upright position or lean slightly forward and loosen your clothes so they don't get tighter.

Use asthma relievers (controller)

When shortness of breath recurs, asthma sufferers need to use asthma medication that works to relieve asthma attacks. Drugs that function as controllers are usually available in inhaled preparations and are used using inhalers or nebulizers.

To use asthma medication in the form of an inhaler, remove the lid of the inhaler, then shake and connect the inhaler to the spacer. Next, attach the mouthpiece to the spacer.

After that, place the mouthpiece into the mouth, then press the inhaler 1 time. After that, inhale slowly through your mouth and hold your breath for 10 seconds.

Spray the inhaler 4 times with a 1-minute interval for each spray. If shortness of breath is still not felt to improve or people with asthma still have difficulty breathing, give back 4 inhalers spray with the same time interval.

If there is still no change, do the same thing by giving 4 inhalers spray every minute until the ambulance arrives.

During an asthma attack, always accompany the patient and try to keep the patient calm. When people with asthma panic, the shortness of breath they experience can get worse.

Breathing that is an indication of code blue asthma is an emergency condition that can cause death if not treated immediately. Therefore, people who fall into the condition of code blue asthma, both inside and outside the hospital, need to get a doctor's help as soon as possible.

Share this post

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER