respiratory failure

Introduction

Includes:

• acute respiratory failure
• chronic respiratory failure

Pathology

• inadequate alveolar ventilation resulting carbon dioxide retention
• increased carbon dioxide production
• decreased respiratory drive
• excessive work of breathing
• increased dead ventilation space
• neuromuscular weakness

More general terms

• lung disease

More specific terms

• acute respiratory failure
• chronic respiratory failure
• hypercapneic respiratory failure
• hypoxemic respiratory failure
• postoperative respiratory failure
• respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)