Is this an Asthma attack? How can I help if it happens again.?

My Fiance and I were at our friends house and everyone there was smoking, except us. He said that he had asthma (just in random conversation not right then) But he has never had an asthma attack before. First sign was he was sweeting perfusively and breathing a bit heavy and being that weve been together 4 years Ive never seen him like this so I made us leave, on the way home (20 min drive) it would get worse.. Very scary. He was making the weirdest faces and his speech was very squeeky and hed moan.. Okay ill tell you from his point of view.. He couldnt breathe, his body wasnt breathing so he had to force the air in and force it out, he said his arms were going numb and his hands and he was trying to make a fist but he thought he wasnt getting enough oxygen so his arms were going numb. I thought he was delerious or out of his mind because Id ask him questions and he would basically yell at me in a loud moaning voice which he had to because he couldnt breathe, let me remind you I thought he was on something or slipped something. He told me he blacked out a few times and if he gave up he wouldve ped out. He wasnt really co hearent and he was very tired (obviously) for keeping himself breathing. He capt asking for air, and would get mad if I turned the AC off.. Im trying to figure out if this was an asthma attack, hes been around his friends smoking before and this is the first its ever happend.. And what can I do if this randomly happens again because he was fighting so hard to breathe..