🫁 Airway, Respiration & Ventilation: Abnormal Respiratory Patterns

Question 1

Bradypnea

Answer 1

Respiratory rate below 12 breaths per minute.

Causes: chest wall injury, drug overdose.

Question 2

Tachypnea

Answer 2

Respiratory rate above 20 breaths per minute.

Causes: pain, anxiety, pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax.

Question 3

Agonal

Answer 3

“Gasping” breaths with no effective breaths. (Ø bpm)

Typically seen in patients in cardiac arrest.

Question 4

Ataxic

Answer 4

Irregular breathing pattern with pauses.

Causes: strokes, trauma, damage to the medulla oblongata.

Question 5

Cheyne-Stokes
[shayne-stokes]

Answer 5

Pattern of fast shallow breaths followed by heavy and deep respirations.

Causes: trauma, tumors, heart failure.

Question 6

Kussmaul

Answer 6

Deep, rapid breathing pattern.

Common in: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).

Question 7

Respiratory Distress

Answer 7

Difficulty breathing with signs like rapid breathing, nasal flaring, and use of accessory muscles.

Heart Rate ↑ + SPO² ↓

Question 7

Respiratory Depression

Answer 7

Reduced breathing rate and depth

Causes: Drug overdose, neurological conditions, severe infections

Question 8

Respiratory Failure

Answer 8

Respirations begin to slow becauset the lungs can’t exchange gases properly.

Question 9

Respiratory Arrest

Answer 9

Patient stops breathing.

Question 10

Hyperventilation

Answer 10

Hyperventilation is over-breathing (above a normal respiration rate), reducing arterial carbon dioxide.