Respiratory Failure Flashcards
What is Respiratory Failure?
Failure of the respiratory system to provide adequate gas exchange for metabolic requirements
What are the clinical manifestations of respiratory failure?
- Marked dyspnoea, tachypnoea
- Purse lip breathing
- Use of accessory muscles at rest
- Acute confusion
- Cyanosis & peripheral oedema
- Inability to speak
- Unwillingness to lie flat (orthopnoea)
- Agitation, restlessness
- Decreased consciousness
- Asynchronous breathing pattern
- Tachycardia
- Sweating
What is hypoxic failure caused by?
By disease that interfere with gas exchange by damaging lung tissues
What are the medical assessments needed for respiratory failure?
- ABGs (diagnosis)
- Chest X-ray
- Physical exam (including auscultation)
What are the (2) types of Respiratory Failure?
- Type 1 (Hypoxaemic): failure of oxygenation
- Type 2 (Hypoxaemic & Hypercapnic): failure of ventilation
What is type 2 respiratory failure a result of?
- Low PaO2
- High PaCO2
What is type 1 respiratory failure a result of?
Low PaO2
When does hypercapnic failure occur?
When alveolar ventilation is insufficient to excrete volume of CO2 produced by tissues metabolism
What is the pathophysiology of type 2 respiratory failure?
- Decreased minute ventilation (MV) relative to demand
- Increased dead space ventilation
- Reduced ventilatory effort
- Inability to overcome an increased resistance
What is the pathophysiology of type 1 respiratory failure?
- Ventilation / Perfusion (V/Q) mismatch
- Shunt (proportion of blood not involved in gaseous exchange)
What are the (3) classifications of respiratory failure?
- Acute
- Chronic
- Acute on chronic (e.g.: acute exacerbation of advance COPD)
How does type 1 respiratory failure progress to type 2?
If type 1 goes uncorrected:
- Can occur acutely with infection or injury or over an extended period of time (such as with COPD)
How do you treat Type 2 RF?
BiPAP
How do you treat Type 1 RF?
CPAP
What are the clinical features (signs and symptoms) of hypercapnia?
- Drowsiness
- Tachycardia
- Headache
- Tachypnoea
- Confusion
