Can respiratory failure be cured?

Written by Li Fang Xiao
Internal Medicine
Updated on September 29, 2024
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Whether respiratory failure can be cured depends on the causes of the respiratory failure and the severity of the condition. Respiratory failure can potentially be cured. For example, acute left heart failure can lead to pulmonary congestion and subsequent respiratory failure. This condition primarily manifests as a decrease in oxygen tension, and by conducting a blood gas analysis, if the oxygen tension is found to be less than 60 mmHg, it can be diagnosed as respiratory failure. However, with symptomatic treatments such as vasodilation and diuretics, once the left heart failure is alleviated, the respiratory failure will also improve. On the other hand, for diseases intrinsic to the lungs, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or severe pulmonary infections, these chronic conditions cannot be completely cured. The symptoms of respiratory failure can only be managed with medication or ventilators.

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Respiratory failure classified by etiology

Respiratory failure can be classified according to its causes into four types. The first type involves diseases of the airway such as bronchial inflammation, bronchiectasis, and foreign body obstruction, leading to insufficient ventilation. The second type is due to lung tissue diseases, such as pneumonia, severe tuberculosis, emphysema, diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, etc., causing a state of hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention due to ventilatory defects. The third type includes pulmonary vascular diseases, such as pulmonary vascular embolism and pulmonary infarction, which cause part of the venous blood to flow into the pulmonary veins, resulting in hypoxia. The fourth type involves diseases of the thoracic cage such as chest trauma, surgical trauma, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion, which affect daily activities and lung expansion, leading to insufficient lung ventilation and resulting in respiratory failure.

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Does respiratory failure spread?

Respiratory failure is a condition characterized by significant decline in respiratory function and is clinically very serious, being a common critical and acute illness. Respiratory failure itself is not contagious, but certain diseases that cause respiratory failure can be contagious. For example, if it is caused by infectious pulmonary tuberculosis, then the tuberculosis can be transmitted, but respiratory failure itself is not contagious.

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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.)

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How to administer oxygen for respiratory failure.

First, we should evaluate whether the patient has type I or type II respiratory failure based on arterial blood gas analysis. Type I respiratory failure is primarily characterized by low oxygen tension, indicating a state of hypoxia, with normal carbon dioxide tension, in which case high-flow oxygen therapy can be administered. In type II respiratory failure, both the oxygen tension is low and the carbon dioxide tension is high. In this case, only low-flow oxygen therapy should be given, or non-invasive ventilation, or endotracheal intubation connected to mechanical ventilation may be employed.

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Treatment of Respiratory Failure

Respiratory failure refers to the severe impairment of lung ventilation and gas exchange function caused by various reasons. The treatment of respiratory failure is comprehensive. Firstly, it is necessary to maintain the patency of the airway. Second, oxygen therapy is required. Oxygen therapy is mainly used to correct the patient's hypoxia. Third, a ventilator can be used to assist breathing. Fourth, the cause of the condition should be addressed. For example, if it is caused by a severe infection, aggressive anti-infection measures should be taken; if caused by a large amount of pleural effusion, aggressive drainage of the pleural fluid should be undertaken, etc. Additionally, general supportive therapy should be considered, such as maintaining electrolyte and acid-base balance. It is also important to protect the function of vital organs, such as maintaining the function of the heart and lungs, etc.