Which ASA physical status indicates a patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life?

• A. ASA II
• B. ASA IV
• C. ASA I
• D. ASA III

Answer: (B)

Understanding ASA status helps gauge anesthesia risk based on systemic health. When a patient has severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life, this describes a level of risk where the disease itself poses ongoing life-threatening danger, not just during anesthesia or with activity. This is the most severe category that still allows for operative intervention, reflecting a high overall risk but not necessarily being moribund. In contrast, a patient with no systemic disease is ASA I, a patient with mild systemic disease and minimal functional limitation is ASA II, and a patient with severe systemic disease that limits activity but is not constant threat to life is ASA III. So the description aligns with the category indicating a constant threat to life.