Escalating care after two failed nebulizers

Had a 34-year-old with moderate asthma exacerbation in clinic; after two back-to-back albuterol/ipratropium nebs and [redacted] prednisone, SpO2 hovered at 92% on room air with RR 28. I transferred to the ED, but where do you all draw the line — do you initiate magnesium or IM epi in-clinic if you’ve got protocols and monitoring, or is that a hard transfer once response stalls like this?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍​‌⁠‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍‌‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍⁠‌⁠‍‍‌​‌‌‌​‍​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍‌​​‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

It’s tricky, but I’ve found that in cases like this, if the patient’s SpO2 is still around 92% with a high RR after the meds, I’d lean towards initiating magnesium in-clinic. You might see some improvement before the transfer, especially if their history indicates a pattern of exacerbation. Just make sure you’re set up for monitoring since it can change quickly.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​⁠‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‍‌​‌⁠‌​​‍‌⁠​‌‌‍​⁠​⁠‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠‍​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌