Is respiratory failure uncomfortable?

Written by Li Fang Xiao
Internal Medicine
Updated on September 10, 2024
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Respiratory failure is quite uncomfortable, and clinically, the symptoms feel severe, and the patient's own state is also very affected. Respiratory failure is mainly caused by a decrease in oxygen partial pressure, during which time the patient may experience wheezing, chest tightness, and even a feeling of being near death. There are many causes of respiratory failure, with severe infections being common, such as severe pneumonia or sepsis. A systemic inflammatory response can lead to respiratory failure. Another situation is when heart failure occurs, which can also accompany pulmonary congestion, causing pulmonary ventilation dysfunction that can also lead to respiratory failure. The treatment of respiratory failure focuses on removing the causative factors and selectively choosing different treatment plans, which can start with oxygen therapy or the use of a ventilator in severe cases to correct hypoxemia and sustain life.

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Written by Peng Miao Yun
Internal Medicine
1min 6sec home-news-image

Care of Patients with Respiratory Failure

In the nursing care of patients with respiratory failure, it is important to strictly monitor vital signs daily, as respiratory failure is considered an emergency and critical condition clinically. Observe the patient's blood pressure, consciousness state, and respiratory rate. At the same time, good skin care and oral care should be maintained to prevent aspiration pneumonia and bedsores. Most importantly, secretions should be cleared in a timely manner, including phlegm. Conscious patients should be encouraged to cough forcefully. For patients who are weak in coughing, assist them in turning and patting their backs regularly to facilitate the expulsion of phlegm. For comatose patients, mechanical suction can be used to maintain airway patency. It is advisable to avoid factors that may cause breathing difficulties, such as cold wind and poor air circulation. Pay attention to enhancing physical exercise appropriately, preventing colds, and maintaining a regular lifestyle.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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What are the symptoms of respiratory failure?

Respiratory failure is a common and serious condition in clinical settings, often categorized as an acute and critical illness. Simply put, respiratory failure occurs when respiratory function is extremely poor. It is caused by severe impairment of pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange due to various reasons. Even at rest, sufficient gas exchange cannot be maintained, leading to serious hypoxemia or concurrent hypercapnia. Clinically, this often presents with severe breathing difficulties, hypoxia, cyanosis, and requires immediate intervention to prevent potentially life-threatening complications.

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Written by Peng Miao Yun
Internal Medicine
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Respiratory failure is a disease.

Respiratory failure is a condition caused by severe impairment of lung ventilation and gas exchange functions due to various reasons, leading to ineffective gas exchange. This results in hypoxia in the body, accompanied by either retention or non-retention of carbon dioxide, thereby causing a clinical syndrome of physiological and metabolic disorders. The causes of respiratory failure include diseases of the lung tissue, respiratory tract disorders, pulmonary vascular diseases, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, among other factors, all of which can lead to respiratory failure.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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What are the symptoms of respiratory failure?

Respiratory failure is a common critical illness in clinical settings, characterized by serious impairments in the lung's ventilation and gas exchange functions. What are the symptoms after respiratory failure? First and foremost, the earliest and most obvious symptom is difficulty breathing. Many patients experience significant difficulty breathing; severe cases may even involve orthopnea, profuse sweating, and inability to speak. Another important symptom is cyanosis, which is a typical manifestation of hypoxia. Additionally, there can be neuropsychiatric symptoms such as mental confusion, agitation, convulsions, and even coma. Other systems may also exhibit symptoms, such as tachycardia, arrhythmias, and decreased gastrointestinal function.

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Written by Peng Miao Yun
Internal Medicine
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How to treat respiratory failure?

Treatment of patients with respiratory failure is primarily medical, focusing on suppressing or relieving the causes and triggers of respiratory failure, improving lung ventilation and gas exchange as much as possible, and treating and improving the function and condition of various vital organs. First, it is important to actively treat the primary disease causing respiratory failure. If there is a concurrent bacterial infection, sensitive antibiotics should be used, and triggers should be removed as much as possible. Simultaneously, maintaining airway patency and effective ventilation volume is necessary, which can involve administering bronchodilators and expectorants such as salbutamol, terbutaline sulfate, acetylcysteine, and ambroxol. When necessary, corticosteroids can be administered intravenously. If internal medicine treatment does not improve symptoms, tracheotomy and mechanical ventilation may be necessary to assist breathing. (Medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician, based on the actual situation.)