lung and airway disorders
Respiratory Failure
Introduction
Respiratory failure is a condition in which the level of oxygen in the blood becomes dangerously low or the level of carbon dioxide in the blood becomes dangerously high. Conditions that block the airways, damage lung tissue, weaken the muscles that control breathing, or decrease the drive to breathe may cause respiratory failure. People may be very short of breath, have a bluish coloration to the skin, and be confused or sleepy. Doctors use a fingertip sensor (pulse oximetry) to detect low levels of oxygen and blood tests to detect high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Oxygen is given. Sometimes people need the help of a machine to breathe (mechanical ventilation) until the underlying problem can be treated. Acute respiratory failure is a medical emergency that can result from Long-standing lung disease that suddenly gets worse Severe lung disease that develops suddenly in otherwise healthy people An example of lung disease that develops suddenly is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) . Chronic respiratory failure is an ongoing breathing problem that can result from long-standing lung disease such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (COPD). 