Respiratory Failure

Question 1

How is respiratory failure diagnosed?

Answer 1

Blood gas test

Question 2

Give a brief description of what respiratory failure is.

Answer 2

Failure in underlying diseased lungs.

• ARDS
• Bellows
• Injury
• Disease
• CNS Pneumonia
• COPD
• Lung fibrosis

Question 3

Explain the 2 types of respiratory failure.

Answer 3

Type 1
- Hypoxemic respiratory failure. 
Reduced pO2
Normal pCO2 *
Treatment required: O2 treatment 

Type 2
- Ventilatory respiratory disease
Reduced pO2
Increased pCO2

Question 4

What is the treatment of Type 1 respiratory failure?

Answer 4

Oxygen supply

CPAP added: in order to open Alveoli due to lack of surfactant.

Question 5

What is the treatment for Type 2 respiratory failure?

Answer 5

Mechanical ventilation

Question 6

Explain the concept of compensation in type 2 respiratory failure and it’s relevance in clinical diagnosis.

Answer 6

In Type 2: pCO2 is elevated and pO2 is at a low. As a result, a decrease in PH is seen.
Blood gas
After a few days. HCO3- begins to form in the liver to compensate for the increase in CO2.
If the compensation has happened, it means that the illness happened a few days ago