Beta Agonist-Induced Lactic Acidosis in Asthma

Abstract

Patients admitted to the hospital with an asthma exacerbation will on occasion develop an elevated lactate. This immediately triggers increased patient surveillance due to the possibility that the lactate may signify inadequate delivery of oxygen to the tissues that results in a lactic acidosis type A. Type A lactic acidosis may be related to septicemia or heart failure as very common factors and intensive care unit management would be a consideration. Alternatively, it may simply be due to the more benign type B2 lactic acidosis that is now commonly seen in asthma (1,2,3,4). The onus is on the clinician to make this distinction.