Respiratory Failure

Respiratory failure is when your breathing isn't good enough.

• You breathe in (inhale) to get oxygen from the air into your blood

• You breathe out (exhale) to get rid of carbon dioxide from your blood

• Any problem that slows or blocks your breathing can cause respiratory failure

• Your blood may have too little oxygen, too much carbon dioxide, or both

• Doctors treat the cause of respiratory failure

• You often need extra oxygen and sometimes a ventilator (breathing machine)

Different types of problems can cause respiratory failure:

• Blocked airflow: Asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), sleep apnea

• Weak breathing: Overdose of opioids or alcohol, stroke, myasthenia gravis

• Clogged lungs: Heart failure, pneumonia, ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome)

At first you may:

• Feel short of breath

• Have a blue color to your lips and sometimes to your skin

Later on you:

• Become sleepy and confused

Without treatment, you may go into a coma and die.

Doctors usually know based on your symptoms. They also:

• Put a sensor on your finger to measure the oxygen level in your blood

• Do a blood test to measure the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide

They also do a chest x-ray and various other tests to look for the cause of your respiratory failure.

You'll need to be in an intensive care unit (ICU). An ICU is an area in the hospital for people who are seriously ill. Doctors will treat the problem that caused respiratory failure and may:

• Give you extra oxygen

• Put you on a ventilator