What is an acute respiratory failure?
Acute respiratory failure is an emergency medical condition in which the individual's blood is extremely low oxygen or extremely high carbon dioxide content. The lungs may be unable to replenish oxygen supplies due to airway obstruction or the presence of excessive fluids. Acute respiratory failure is usually fatal if the individual does not receive immediate medical services. Doctors or emergency doctors try to remove an obstacle, supply oxygen and determine any basic causes to provide additional treatment.
A sudden onset of acute respiratory failure may occur as a result of asthma attack, smoke inhalation, suffocation or drowning, including the causes of airway obstruction. A particularly dangerous form of respiratory failure occurs in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which includes serious lung tissue inflammation and accumulation of lung fluid. ARDS is usually seen with serious trauma, bacterial infection or medication overdose. The skin often changes nand blue when oxygen supplies are exhausted. A drowned person can have very blue skin, lose consciousness and show very shallow breathing. The advent of ARDS is usually accompanied by shortness of breath, confusion and extreme fatigue. An individual may suffer from permanent damage to organs and brain unless the treatment is given immediately.
The primary goal in the treatment of a person with acute respiratory failure is to identify the cause. The victim with a foreign object in his throat may have to accept a Heimlich maneuver or a similar procedure to release obstruction. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is often necessary for people who have been immersed in water or absorb Smoke for a longer period of time. Oxygen is usually given as soon as possible to stabilize blood supply and bronchodilators are given to people who had asthma attacks to reopen the airways.
an individual that is experiencing ARDS usually requires immediate oxygen administered with respiratory machinesM to clean the lungs and restore blood supply to vital organs. Once the lungs are without fluids, doctors can determine and treat the basic cause of the ARDS. Antibiotics can be administered orally or intravenously if it is the cause of bacterial infection, and detoxifying measures are taken in case of overdose. With immediate medical care, an individual suffering from an acute respiratory failure can be able to regain breathing and full consciousness.