Abstract

Right heart pressures, electrocardiograms, blood gases, and peak expiratory flow rates were measured in nine patients admitted to hospital with severe bronchial asthma. Low or normal right heart pressures were found despite electrocardiographic changes in five patients consisting of right atrial P waves, abnormal right axis deviation, and in one patient T-wave changes in precordial leads. These electrocardiographic changes reverted towards normal on recovery of the patient from the asthmatic attack.