What is respiratory failure?
Respiratory failure is a pathological condition that occurs when the respiratory system fails to transport a certain amount of oxygen to the blood or when the lungs fail to remove a certain amount of carbon dioxide from the blood. Respiratory failure can be acute or chronic. It is acute if it appears and has a limited duration (maximum one hour). It is chronic if it manifests and develops over several days. The most common form is hypoxemic respiratory failure which can be found in diseases affecting the lungs (pulmonary edema, pneumonia, embolism, pulmonary fibrosis).
Symptoms of respiratory failure
The main symptoms caused by respiratory failure are:
- Irregular or wheezing breathing
- Tachycardia
- Vigorous use of respiratory muscles (e.g., diaphragm)
- Tachypnea
- Decreased respiratory volume
Respiratory failure is chronic if it manifests and develops over several days.
Diagnosis of respiratory failure
To be sure that you have respiratory failure it will be necessary to perform specific blood tests and other tests:
- Electrocardiogram: to analyze the heart’s activity.
- Blood tests: to check the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood
- Pulse oximetry: to assess the amount of oxygen in the blood.
What are the causes of respiratory failure?
The causes of respiratory failure are numerous and depend on the severity of the disease itself. The main reasons for its occurrence are the following:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Pulmonary disorders
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Pneumonia
- Obesity
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Alcohol and drug overdose
- Poisoning
- Hypothyroidism
- Muscle disorders
- Spinal cord injuries
What are the treatments for respiratory failure?
The treatments used to treat respiratory failure are aimed at improving hypoxemia, correcting acidosis and cardiac activity. Depending on the type of respiratory failure (limited or chronic), different specific treatments are used. Nasal cannulas or face masks are generally used to administer pure medical oxygen, or mechanical ventilation is used to improve oxygenation and reduce oxygen demand by the respiratory muscles.
Which specialist to contact?
It is advisable to consult a pulmonologist, who will prescribe the appropriate treatment to treat it.