Man’s life-threatening asthma attack triggered by drinking too much water – so how much is safe?

A MAN suffered several life-threatening asthma attacks after downing too much water.

The 72-year-old was admitted to hospital in China after he began wheezing, felt , and .

The unnamed man had been managing his independently for two years before the incident, with typical inhalers and oral .

Doctors treating him discovered the man had been drinking “large amounts of water” each day – around 3.5 litres.

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects the airways in the lungs, causing them to become inflamed and narrowed, making it difficult to breathe.

Common triggers for the condition include allergens like , dust, and pet dander, as well as irritants such as smoke, , and strong odour.

, , and even can also provoke asthma symptoms. Drinking too much water is a very rare trigger.

At the time of his reaction, the man was already on an IV, receiving extra fluids to help with his dry mouth.

Despite consuming so many fluids, his urine output remained too low – which caused by doctors described as a “serious fluid imbalance,” as outlined in a report in Clinical Medical Insight.

“The excessive fluid retention was suspected to contribute to pulmonary congestion, further aggravating his asthma symptoms,”; wrote doctors from the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

As his condition worsened, medics introduced diuretics tohelp reduce water buildup in the body.

His fluid intake was strictly controlled, and his daily pee output was monitored closely.

Over the next few days, his asthma attacks became less frequent and severe, and his breathing improved.

The patient’s condition stabilised, and he was eventually discharged with controlled symptoms.

This case shows how excessive fluid intake can worsen asthma.

It does this by increasing blood volume and causing pulmonary edema, a condition where excess fluid builds up in the lungs, leading to breathing difficulties.

While rare, this case warns doctors about the risks of excessive fluid consumption triggering asthma flare-ups.

“Given the limited data available on this phenomenon, further studies are necessary to establish the exact mechanisms by which excessive water intake influences asthma and to develop guidelines for fluid management in patients with respiratory conditions,” the authors said.

“Recognising and addressing fluid overload may help improve asthma outcomes and reduce prolonged hospital stays for affected individuals”.