[Lactic acidosis in a patient with exercabation of asthma receiving inhalation therapy]

We present a case of severe lactic acidosis due to exacerbation of asthma in presence of normal tissue perfusion and oxygenation in a 35-year-old woman with poorly controlled asthma. After admission, she was treated continuously with inhalation of salbutamol (a beta-agonist) resulting in lactic acidosis, which was misinterpreted as treatment failure. The lactic acidosis reversed on discontinuation of the inhalation therapy. Although lactic acidosis is a rare complication to inhalation of beta-agonists, it is important for the clinicians to recognize this.