[Extreme self-medication: a case report]

On the background of insufficient allergological diagnostic a case of serious cowhair asthma was misinterpreted as intrinsic asthma which led to an extreme form of selfmedication. The excessive daily intravenous selfapplication of 2000 mg theophylline and 24 mg fenoterol per inhalationem for about 4 years was tolerated without any serious side effects. The continues smoking of 40 cigarettes per day may have protected the patient from a toxic dose of theophylline. This case report demonstrates the importance of basic diagnostic as well as the continuous control of the proposed medication.