Respiration | Lecture Note

University:
West Coast University
Course:
NURS 100 | Fundamentals of Nursing
Academic year:

2021
Views:

343

Pages:

1
Author:

gewoekerdodx

Respiration Respiration involves exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the cells of the body. This is accomplished through breathing, which is made up of two phases: inspiration and expiration. Inspiration is an active process that involves the diaphragm moving down, the external intercostal muscles contracting, and the chest cavity expanding to allow air to move into the lungs. Expiration is a passive process that involves the diaphragm moving up, the external intercostal muscles relaxing, and the chest cavity returning to its normal resting state. The respiratory center in the medulla of the brain and the level of carbon dioxide in the blood help regulate breathing. Accurate assessment of respiration is an important component of vital-signs skills. It involves observing the rate, depth, and rhythm of chest-wall movement during inspiration and expiration. During normal breathing, the chest gently rises and falls in a regular rhythm. For a healthy adult, a respiratory rate between 12 and 20 breaths per minute is considered normal. Many factors can alter a patient’s respiratory rate. Exercise, anxiety, fever, and a low hemoglobin level can all increase respiratory rate. A rate faster than 20 breaths per minute is called tachypnea. Neurological injuries and medications that depress the respiratory system, such as opiates, can slow the respiratory rate. A rate slower than 12 breaths per minute is called bradypnea. The rhythm of a patient’s respirations is usually regular, but certain conditions and illnesses can make it irregular. Cheyne-Stokes respirations are breathing cycles that increase in rate and depth and then decrease and are followed by a period of apnea. You might observe this pattern in patients who have heart failure or increased intracranial pressure. It can also be a sign that death is approaching. Biot’s respirations involve a period of slow and deep or rapid and shallow breathing followed by apnea. This type of breathing pattern reflects central nervous system abnormalities. Kussmaul’s respirations involve deep and gasping respirations, likely due to renal failure, septic shock, or diabetic ketoacidosis. Apnea is the absence of breathing and is often associated with other abnormal respiratory patterns. The depth of a patient’s breathing, also called tidal volume, is the amount of air that moves in and out of the lungs with each breath. To determine precise tidal volume, you would need a spirometer, but you can estimate tidal volume by observing the expansion and symmetry of chest-wall movement during inspiration and expiration. With normal respiration, the chest gently rises and falls. If a patient is in pain or has a chest or an abdominal injury, respiration often becomes shallow. After exercise or other physical exertion, respiration tends to deepen.