29-year-old Asthma Patient Nearly Died from Irregular Medication Use After Inhaler Proved Useless
A 29-year-old man with asthma almost died after relying solely on short-acting bronchodilators instead of regular medication, highlighting the dangers of improper asthma management. Experts emphasize that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease requiring consistent treatment, not just emergency relief.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 12:55
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 13:01 (6 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:01 (12h 59m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chieh-Ling, Taipei, 27th) Mr. Wu, 29, had asthma since preschool and had been well-controlled with medication. After growing up, he self-discontinued his medication and instead bought short-acting bronchodilators from a pharmacy for emergencies. Initially, it was effective, but one day, after inhaling an entire bottle, it had no effect. He was rushed to the hospital, nearly requiring ECMO for resuscitation, and was saved by tracheal intubation.
According to the 2022 Taiwan Adult Asthma Clinical Care Guidelines, approximately 2 million people in Taiwan suffer from asthma. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong, Director of Respiratory and Thoracic Medicine at Cathay General Hospital, shared Mr. Wu's story in a press release today, reminding the public that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that requires regular inhaled medication control even without symptoms. Over-reliance on short-acting bronchodilators for emergencies can long-term increase the risk of fatality.
The prevalence of asthma is about 12% among adults and 15% among children. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong explained that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease where wheezing may not always be present, and symptoms may not appear daily. However, long-term uncontrolled asthma can lead to chronic inflammation and deformation of the patient's airways, causing airway obstruction and impaired lung function. When asthmatic patients' lung function declines, their respiratory system subsequently becomes fragile.
"Overuse of short-acting beta-agonists (SABA)" and "insufficient dosage of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)" are common medication errors among asthma patients and are the main reasons for ineffective asthma control. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong stated that while using SABA to dilate the bronchi can temporarily relieve discomfort, it cannot improve inflammation. In the long run, this can lead to lung damage, making asthma attacks life-threatening.
Many people worry that ICS contains steroids and believe they should inhale less when symptom-free. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong said this is a misconception. Only long-term oral intake of large doses of steroids leads to systemic side effects. Inhaled steroids are a localized treatment within the bronchi, reducing chronic inflammation, so the dosage is very small. The daily dose of inhaled steroid medication is only one-tenth or even less than that of oral medication.
Dr. Wu Jin-Tong emphasized that self-discontinuation of inhaled corticosteroids is one of the main reasons why airways remain in a state of chronic inflammation. Asthmatic patients should not stop medication on their own even if they have no symptoms. At the same time, they should never ignore persistent coughs. If coughing recurs within one year, or if each cough lasts more than 2 to 3 months, it is highly likely due to asthma and medical attention should be sought promptly. (Editor: Chen Ching-Fang) 1150427
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a power to protect press freedom.
Download Central News Agency's "First-Hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chieh-Ling, Taipei, 27th) Mr. Wu, 29, had asthma since preschool and had been well-controlled with medication. After growing up, he self-discontinued his medication and instead bought short-acting bronchodilators from a pharmacy for emergencies. Initially, it was effective, but one day, after inhaling an entire bottle, it had no effect. He was rushed to the hospital, nearly requiring ECMO for resuscitation, and was saved by tracheal intubation.
According to the 2022 Taiwan Adult Asthma Clinical Care Guidelines, approximately 2 million people in Taiwan suffer from asthma. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong, Director of Respiratory and Thoracic Medicine at Cathay General Hospital, shared Mr. Wu's story in a press release today, reminding the public that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that requires regular inhaled medication control even without symptoms. Over-reliance on short-acting bronchodilators for emergencies can long-term increase the risk of fatality.
The prevalence of asthma is about 12% among adults and 15% among children. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong explained that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease where wheezing may not always be present, and symptoms may not appear daily. However, long-term uncontrolled asthma can lead to chronic inflammation and deformation of the patient's airways, causing airway obstruction and impaired lung function. When asthmatic patients' lung function declines, their respiratory system subsequently becomes fragile.
"Overuse of short-acting beta-agonists (SABA)" and "insufficient dosage of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)" are common medication errors among asthma patients and are the main reasons for ineffective asthma control. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong stated that while using SABA to dilate the bronchi can temporarily relieve discomfort, it cannot improve inflammation. In the long run, this can lead to lung damage, making asthma attacks life-threatening.
Many people worry that ICS contains steroids and believe they should inhale less when symptom-free. Dr. Wu Jin-Tong said this is a misconception. Only long-term oral intake of large doses of steroids leads to systemic side effects. Inhaled steroids are a localized treatment within the bronchi, reducing chronic inflammation, so the dosage is very small. The daily dose of inhaled steroid medication is only one-tenth or even less than that of oral medication.
Dr. Wu Jin-Tong emphasized that self-discontinuation of inhaled corticosteroids is one of the main reasons why airways remain in a state of chronic inflammation. Asthmatic patients should not stop medication on their own even if they have no symptoms. At the same time, they should never ignore persistent coughs. If coughing recurs within one year, or if each cough lasts more than 2 to 3 months, it is highly likely due to asthma and medical attention should be sought promptly. (Editor: Chen Ching-Fang) 1150427
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a power to protect press freedom.
Download Central News Agency's "First-Hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.