Acute respiratory failure
Acute Respiratory Failure
Acute respiratory failure (pronounced: a-kyoot res-pi-ra-tor-ee fail-yure) is a severe condition in which the lungs fail to adequately oxygenate the blood or remove carbon dioxide from the body. This can occur suddenly and requires immediate medical attention.
Etymology
The term "acute" comes from the Latin "acutus", meaning sharp or severe. "Respiratory" is derived from the Latin "respirare", meaning to breathe. "Failure" comes from the Old French "faillir", meaning to lack or be deficient in.
Types
There are two types of acute respiratory failure:
- Hypoxemic respiratory failure (Type 1): This occurs when there is not enough oxygen in the blood but the level of carbon dioxide is normal or low.
- Hypercapnic respiratory failure (Type 2): This occurs when there is too much carbon dioxide in the blood but the level of oxygen is normal or high.
Causes
Acute respiratory failure can be caused by a variety of conditions, including:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pneumonia
- Asthma
- Pulmonary embolism
- Cystic fibrosis
- Lung cancer
- Sepsis
Symptoms
Symptoms of acute respiratory failure may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid breathing
- Confusion or lethargy
- Bluish coloration of the skin or lips (Cyanosis)
- Chest pain or discomfort
Treatment
Treatment for acute respiratory failure depends on the underlying cause and may include:
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Acute respiratory failure
- Wikipedia's article - Acute respiratory failure
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