Respiratory failure is a medical emergency condition that occurs as a result of a serious disturbance in the respiratory system, causing the body to lack oxygen. This condition needs immediate medical attention. If not treated immediately, respiratory failure can cause damage to organs and even death.
Respiratory failure occurs when the respiratory system is unable to carry out its function to channel oxygen into the blood and organs of the body, then remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
Eventually the body will experience lack of oxygen (hypoxia), which makes almost all organs of the body, such as the lungs, heart and brain, unable to function properly.
Meanwhile, the respiratory system also plays a role in removing carbon dioxide in the blood. When respiratory failure occurs, carbon dioxide can accumulate and turn into poisons in the blood, causing tissue and organ damage.
Causes of Breath Failure
Respiratory failure can be caused by many things, including:
- Lung diseases, such as severe asthma attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary edema, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
- Disorders of the brain or nerves that regulate respiratory function, such as severe head injuries, strokes, brain tumors, brain herniation, spinal cord disorders, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
- Certain diseases or conditions, such as shock, heavy bleeding, sepsis, electrolyte disturbances, and disorders of acid-base balance (acidosis and alkalosis).
- Injury to the muscles and sternum or spine, so that the respiratory system is disrupted.
- Acute lung injury, for example due to inhalation of smoke or harmful chemicals that can injure the lungs.
- Side effects of drugs, such as opioid and painkillers.
In addition, several other conditions, such as poisoning, drug overdose, sleep apnea (sleep apnea), and diabetic ketoacidosis, can also be a cause of respiratory failure.
Symptoms of respiratory failure
When a person experiences respiratory failure, several signs and symptoms can occur including:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, so difficult to speak.
- Quick breathing.
- Chest pounding.
- Coughs.
- Breath sounds, such as wheezing or stridor.
- Limp.
- Pale skin and sweat a lot.
- Restless and in a daze.
- Bluish fingers or lips (cyanosis).
- Lost consciousness or faint.
If there is shortness of breath accompanied by some of the signs and symptoms above, then a person needs to be taken immediately to the nearest emergency room hospital. This could be a sign of respiratory failure that needs to be immediately examined and treated by a doctor.
Handling of Breath Failures You Need to Know
A person who experiences respiratory failure needs to be treated immediately by a doctor at the hospital emergency room. After getting first aid given and the patient's condition is stable, the patient will need further treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).
When experiencing respiratory failure, sufferers of these serious conditions need to get respiratory assistance through:
- Oxygen therapy to increase oxygen levels in the blood. Providing oxygen through nasal tubes or nasal cannulas and oxygen masks.
- Tracheostomy, which is a procedure performed to place a tube in your throat as an artificial airway, so that patients can breathe more easily.
- Mechanical ventilation, which is a technique to provide breathing assistance by using a ventilator machine. Patients with respiratory failure generally require the installation of a breathing device in the form of an endotracheal tube or endotracheal tube / ETT through intubation or tracheostomy before the ventilator is fitted.
When breathing assistance is given, the doctor will also provide treatment to overcome various conditions or diseases that cause respiratory failure.
For example, if respiratory failure is caused by pneumonia or sepsis, the doctor will give antibiotics to treat the infection. Meanwhile, if respiratory failure is triggered by asthma or narrowing of the airway, the doctor will give a bronchodilator to relieve breathing.
However, if respiratory failure is caused by swelling of the lungs, the doctor can give a diuretic to remove fluid from the lungs.
The patient's recovery rate depends on several factors, such as age, the underlying cause of respiratory failure, how quickly the patient gets treated, and the presence or absence of the disease or complications that accompany.
Complications of respiratory failure
Conditions of respiratory failure that do not get treated as early as possible at high risk of causing complications or damage to various organs of the body, such as:
1. Lungs
Respiratory failure can cause pulmonary fibrosis, pneumothorax, and chronic respiratory failure. In patients with respiratory failure who have chronic lung disease, breathing aids may need to be used for life to help meet their oxygen needs.
2. Heart
Breathing failure can trigger heart attacks, heart failure, and heartbeat rhythm abnormalities or arrhythmias due to lack of oxygen to the heart.
3. Kidney
Respiratory failure that makes oxygen deficient can cause acute kidney failure. Damaged and disturbed kidney function can worsen electrolyte disturbances and acid base disorders.
4. Brain
Breath failure that causes lack of oxygen can make brain cells damaged. This condition can develop into a coma until death.
5. Digestive system
Respiratory failure can trigger bleeding in the digestive tract, as well as disorders of the stomach and intestines.
If handled late, respiratory failure can cause permanent organ damage that can be fatal. Therefore, this condition needs to be examined immediately by a doctor at the hospital.
After getting emergency treatment, the doctor will do a physical examination and support to determine the diagnosis and find the cause of respiratory failure.
Examinations to be carried out include blood tests, blood gas analysis, and radiological examinations, such as X-rays or CT scans and MRIs on organs suspected of being damaged. Only then can the doctor treat respiratory failure according to the disease or accompanying condition.
