Respiratory Failure

Respiratory failure is caused by lung failure, which causes hypoxemia, or pump failure, which causes alveolar hypoventilation and hypercapnia. Respiratory failure is a condition in which one or both of the respiratory system's gas exchange processes, namely oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal, fail. It can be characterised as hypoxemic or hypercapnic in practise. Respiratory failure can be acute or chronic, and is categorized as Type 1 or Type 2 depending on whether there is a high carbon dioxide level. Respiratory failure is commonly defined in clinical trials by an increased respiratory rate, abnormal blood gases (hypoxia, hypercapnia, or both), and indications of increased work of breathing. Because of ischemia in the brain, respiratory failure induces a change in mental status. Oxygen Pa O2 greater than 80 mmHg (11 kPa) and carbon dioxide Pa CO2 less than 45 mmHg are standard partial pressure reference values (6.0 kPa). If at all possible, the root problem must be addressed. Medication may be used to treat acute respiratory failure. There is some evidence that starting continuous positive airway pressure before being transported to the hospital can help patients with respiratory failure who are diagnosed before arriving at the hospital.