Breathing

Breathing problems are a common cause of patient deterioration. 

When assessing breathing, you are looking at whether there is enough oxygen getting into the lungs, and whether enough of this oxygen is reaching the tissues. Hence breathing and circulation are interlinked. Breathing involves taking oxygen into the lungs, this is then diffused into the blood stream and delivered to the tissues. Breathing also removes the waste product carbon dioxide which is generated from cellular metabolism. Problems in breathing can therefore lead to hypoxia and organ damage, and the accumulation of toxic levels of carbon dioxide.

Hypoxia = inadequate availability of oxygen for cell metabolism

Top tip!

An abnormal respiratory rate is often an early sign of patient deterioration and one of the most important parameters associated with cardiac arrest.

  • Basic anatomy and physiology

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  • Causes of respiratory deterioration

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  • Breathing Assessment

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  • Breathing Management

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