RESPIRATORY FAILURE

Course overview

RESPIRATORY FAILURE HAPPENS WHEN THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM FAILS TO MAINTAIN GAS EXCHANGE AND IS CLASSIFIED INTO TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 ACCORDING TO BLOOD GASES ABNORMALITIES. IN TYPE 1 (HYPOXEMIC) RESPIRATORY FAILURE, THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF ARTERIAL OXYGEN (PAO2) IS LESS THAN 60 MILLIMETERS OF MERCURY (MMHG), AND THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF ARTERIAL CARBON DIOXIDE (PACO2) MAY BE EITHER NORMAL OR LOW. IN TYPE 2 (HYPERCAPNIC) RESPIRATORY FAILURE, THE PACO2 IS GREATER THAN 50 MMHG, AND PAO2 MAY BE NORMAL OR, IN THE EVENT OF RESPIRATORY PUMP FAILURE, LOW. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF RESPIRATORY FAILURE AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF TEAM-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.