Critical Care: Acute Respiratory Failure

Question 1

List three indications for mechancial ventilation

Answer 1

1. Hypoventilation (hypercapnic respiratory failure)
2. Hypoxemia (hypoxin respiratory failure)
3. Inability to maintain airway

Question 2

List four examples of hypercapnic respiratory failure

Answer 2

1. Drug overdose
2. neuromuscular disease
3. cardiopulmonary resuscitation
4. central nervous system injury or disease

Question 3

List five examples of hypoxic respiratory failure

Answer 3

1. Pulmonary injury or disease
2. Pneumonia
3. Pulmonary edema
4. Pulmonary embolus
5. Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Question 4

List two examples of inability to maintain airway

Answer 4

1. Loss of airway patency

2. Loss of gag or cough reflux with a large-volume aspiration risk

Question 5

List two examples of loss of airway patency

Answer 5

1. mechanical obstruction

2. tracheal or chest wall injury

Question 6

List five examples of loss of gag or cough reflex with large-volume aspiration risk

Answer 6

1. Central nervous system injury
2. Central nervous system depression
3. cerebrovascular accident
4. seizures
5. cardiac arrest

Question 7

List three complications associated with mechanical ventilation

Answer 7

1. ventilator-associated pneumonia
2. stress ulcers
3. venous thrombosis