lung and airway disorders
Respiratory Failure
Diagnosis of Respiratory Failure
Measurements of the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood Chest x-ray and other tests to determine the cause A doctor may suspect respiratory failure because of the symptoms and physical examination findings. The level of oxygen in the blood can be measured without taking a blood sample by using a sensor placed on a finger or an earlobe—a procedure called Pulse oximetry . A test done on a sample of blood taken from an artery confirms the diagnosis of respiratory failure when it shows a dangerously low level of oxygen and/or a dangerously high level of carbon dioxide. Chest x-rays and usually other tests are done to determine the cause of respiratory failure. 