Respiratory Failure
Respiratory failure is a condition in which the respiratory system fails in one or both of its gas exchange functions, i.e. oxygenation of and/or elimination of carbon dioxide from mixed venous blood. The respiratory system can be said to consist of two parts:
1.The lung, e.g. the gas-exchanging organ, and
2.The pump (chest wall, muscles, nervous system etc.) that ventilates the lungs.
Failure of each part of the system leads to a various symptoms. There could be low concentration of oxygen in the blood and or there could be high concentration of carbon dioxide.
Causes of respiratory failure:
- Conditions that make it difficult to breathe in and get air into your lungs.
- Examples: weakness following a stroke, collapsed airways, and food getting stuck in and blocking your windpipe.
- Conditions that make it difficult to breathe out.
- Examples: Asthma and COPD
- Lung collapse.
- When no air is able to enter lungs, one or both lobes may collapse and cause a condition called atelectasis. It can happen when the lungs become extremely weak, mucus blocks one of the large airways, a rib is broken or fractured, or severe pain in the lung makes it difficult to breathe.
- Chest trauma or lung injury can also cause air to leak from the lung, filling the space around the lung within the chest. This air could cause the lung to collapse, called a pneumothorax.
- Fluid in lungs.
- This makes it harder for oxygen to pass from the air sacs into blood and for carbon dioxide in blood to pass into the air sacs to be breathed out.
- Pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), drowning, and other lung diseases can cause this fluid buildup.
- It can also be caused by the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to the lungs (called heart failure).
- Severe head injury or trauma can also cause sudden fluid buildup in the lungs.
- A problem with breathing muscles.
- Such problems can occur after a spinal cord injury or when there is a nerve and muscle condition such as muscular dystrophy.
- It can also happen when diaphragm and other breathing muscles do not get enough oxygen-rich blood, when the heart is not pumping well enough (cardiogenic shock), or when you get a severe infection called sepsis.
- Conditions that affect the brain’s control over breathing.
- In opioid overdose, the brain may not detect high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Normally, the brain would signal to you to deepen your breathing so that you breathe out the carbon dioxide. Instead, carbon dioxide builds up in the body, while oxygen levels fall, leading to respiratory failure.
Risk factors of respiratory failure
Lung and airways diseases: such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD, and interstitial lung diseases.
Age: Premature babies with under under-developed lung, pulmonary hypertension, or certain lung birth defects have a higher risk of respiratory failure. Older adults have more risk factors for respiratory failure. E.g. food getting stuck causing infection, muscle weakness etc.
Environment or occupation: Breathing in lung irritants can lead to lung damage.
Other medical conditions: Risk of respiratory failure if there are certain medical conditions or injuries. E.g. Nerve and muscle disorders, stroke etc.
Infections in your brain or spinal cord, lungs (such as pneumonia), or airways (such as bronchiolitis).
Airway blockages: E.g. Obstructive sleep apnea.
Chest or back injuries: Damage ribs or lungs.
Severe scoliosis: A condition in which the spine is curved from side-to-side.
Severe allergies: To food or medicine can cause your throat to swell up.
Other health conditions: Can also raise risk. This includes coronary heart disease, kidney or liver disease, or a weakened immune system.
Lifestyle habits
Smoking, drugs, alcohol can cause lung diseases that raise risk of respiratory failure.
Signs & symptoms of respiratory failure
Low oxygen levels may cause:
- Difficulty or extreme tiredness with routine activities
- Shortness of breath
- Drowsiness
- A bluish colour on your fingers, toes, and lips
High carbon dioxide levels may cause:
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Headaches
- Rapid breathing
Diagnosis & Management
There are different types of Oxygen therapy available to manage respiratory failure, contact your physician to get it diagnosed and have relevant therapy accordingly.
Medicines
Contact your physician to get further details of medicine.
