A woman of 23 attended the accident and emergency department after feeling unwell and acutely short of breath for one day. She used salmeterol, beclomethasone and salbutamol inhalers for asthma; otherwise there was no medical history of note. On examination she was tachypnoeic, tachycardic and unable to complete full sentences. Temperature was normal. There were widespread wheezes in the chest....
