General Information on Respiratory Failure
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a critical medical emergency characterized by abnormal arterial blood gas values, where the partial pressure of oxygen drops to a level insufficient to sustain cellular life (hypoxemia), or the levels of carbon dioxide excessively rise (hypercapnia).
It occurs due to conditions such as severe COPD exacerbations, status asthmaticus, profound pneumonia, collapsed lung (pneumothorax), or the failure of respiratory muscles secondary to central nervous system or neuromuscular disorders (such as ALS).
Manifestations include severe dyspnea (air hunger), pronounced tachypnea (rapid and shallow breathing), cyanosis (bluish discoloration) of the lips and fingertips, profuse diaphoresis (sweating), acute panic/agitation, and in advanced stages, altered mental status or coma due to carbon dioxide narcosis.
The patient is immediately admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Non-invasive high-flow oxygen modalities (CPAP/BiPAP masks) are applied. If the patient is too fatigued to maintain spontaneous respiration or becomes obtunded, they are sedated, intubated, and placed on invasive mechanical ventilation. Concurrently, the primary underlying pulmonary pathology (e.g., severe infection) causing the failure is aggressively treated.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
