Lessons from the national asthma mortality study: circumstances surrounding death.

The circumstances surrounding all deaths from asthma in New Zealanders under 70 years of age between August 1981 and July 1983 have been analysed from information recorded or recalled by doctors or relatives of the deceased. Factors which may have reduced the time available for effective treatment of these severe attacks are described to draw attention to ways in which mortality might be reduced. For almost half of the 271 deaths medical help …