respiratory emergencies eileen humphreys pa-c, emt-i
TRANSCRIPT
Respiratory Emergencies
Eileen Humphreys PA-C, EMT-I
Respiratory Cycle
• Inspiration• Active process that uses
contractions of several muscles to increase the size of the chest cavity
• Diaphragm lowers and ribs move up and out
• The expanding size of the chest cavity pulls air in
Respiratory Cycle
• Expiration• Passive process that uses
relaxation of muscles to decrease chest cavity size and allow air to move out
• Diaphragm moves up and ribs move down and in
Respiratory Cycle
• Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the alveoli and capillaries of the lungs as well as the capillaries of the body
• Critical to support life
Respiratory Emergencies
• May be a result of head/neck/chest injuries
• Emotional distress• Obstruction to the upper or lower
respiratory tract• Fluid or collapse of the alveoli• Cardiac compromise• Allergic reaction
Respiratory Emergencies
• Dyspnea• shortness of breath• difficulty breathing
Respiratory Emergencies
• Apnea• respiratory arrest
Respiratory Emergencies
• Hypoxia• inadequate supply of oxygen
Bronchoconstriction
• Bronchioles of the lower airway are significantly narrowed
• Also called bronchospasm
• Usually results in wheezing
Bronchoconstriction
• Can be opened up by use of a bronchodilator such as Albuterol
• Relaxes the bronchioles• Called a Beta 2 agonist
Respiratory Emergencies
• Scene size-up may give important clues
• Look for oxygen tanks,tubing, masks
Initial Assessment
• General impression• usually in a tripod position• patient lying in a supine or
reclining position may be in mild distress or in such distress that
they have become too exhausted to stay upright
Initial Assessment
• Frightened or confused facial expression may indicate severe distress
• Speech-usually limited or absent
• If speech is normal-airway is open and clear with minimal distress
Initial Assessment
• Restlessness, agitation, combativeness, confusion, and unresponsiveness can be caused by inadequate oxygenation to the brain
Initial Assessment
• Listen for crowing, snoring, stridor, or gurgling
• Indicates partial airway obstruction
• Look for adequate rise and fall of chest, exchange of oxygen, volume exchanged
Initial Assessment
• Skin• Cyanosis to the neck or chest
indicates severe respiratory distress
Respiratory Emergencies
• All patients in respiratory distress are priority transport
• Decline very rapidly
• SAMPLE history for responsive patients
• Use OPQRST to gather information of symptoms
• Rapid trauma assessment for unresponsive patients
Physical Exam
• Assess the skin for discoloration• Assess the neck for tracheal deviation,
retractions, JVD (jugular venous distention)
• Assess the chest for retractions of the intercostal spaces, asymmetrical chest rise, subcutaneous emphysema
• Auscultate the lungs for equal breath sounds
• Wheezing- musical sound caused by bronchospasm or fluid in the lungs
• Rhonchi-snoring or rattling sounds• Crackles-bubbling or crackling
noises heard on inhalation. Associated with fluid and heard first at bases
Assessing Adequate Breathing• Patient does not appear to be in
distress• Can speak in full sentences without
stopping to catch their breath• Color will be normal• Mental status and orientation
(person, place, time) will be normal
Assessing Adequate Breathing
• Rate:• Adult- 12 to 20 per minute-12• Child- 15 to 30 per minute-20• Infant-25 to 50 per minute-20
• Rhythm:• Regular and even• Inspiration and expiration usually last
about the same length of time
Assessing Adequate Breathing
• Quality:• Breath sounds will be present and
equal bilaterally• Both sides of chest should rise and
fall equally and adequately• Unlabored-should not require effort
Treatment of Adequate Breathing• If patient is breathing at a slightly
abnormal rate but it is adequate:• 15 lpm via NRB• Monitor closely • Be on the lookout for beginnings of
inadequate breathing or respiratory arrest
• Intervene quickly if condition worsens
Assessing Inadequate Breathing• Not adequate to support life and will
progress to death unless there is intervention
• Rate-can be too fast or slow• Agonal respirations-dying
respirations which are sporadic, irregular breaths seen just before resp. arrest. Shallow, gasping
• Rhythm-may be regular or irregular
Assessing Inadequate Breathing
• Quality:• Breath sounds may be diminished
or absent• Depth (tidal volume) will be
shallow, inadequate• Chest expansion-may be unequal
or inadequate• Respiratory effort may be
increased
Assessing Inadequate Breathing
• Quality:• Accessory muscle use seen• Skin may be pale or cyanotic• Skin may be cool and clammy• Snoring or gurgling in
unresponsive patients or patients with diminished responsiveness
Treatment of Inadequate Breathing• Inadequate breathing with
abnormal rate• Begin artificial ventilations with
either the pocket mask or BVM• Ventilate 12 times per minute for
adults• Ventilate 20 times per minute for
children/infants
Treatment of Inadequate Breathing• You may have to treat a patient
with inadequate breathing who is awake enough to fight artificial ventilations
• In this case contact medical direction and transport immediately
Patient Care for Inadequate Breathing• If properly performed, pulse rate
will return to normal (in adults pulse usually increases in resp. distress)
• If pulse stays high re-evaluate the technique
• Color will return to normal if ventilations are adequate
Patient Care
• If pulse does not return to normal re-evaluate airway, ventilations, O2 canister (empty), tubing (kinked)
• If chest does not rise or pulse does not return to normal, increase ventilation force after assuring proper technique
Respiratory arrest
• Confirm unresponsiveness• Open airway by jaw thrust or chin-
lift• Look, listen, feel for 3-5 seconds• If not breathing• Give 1 full breath lasting 2 seconds
and allow patient to exhale
Respiratory arrest
• If the air goes in, give breaths every 5 seconds with each breath lasting 2 seconds and allow to passively exhale between breaths
• If no air goes in, reposition head• Check pulse frequently to monitor
cardiac status
COPD
• Chronic obstructed pulmonary disease
• Chronic Bronchitis• Emphysema
Chronic Bronchitis
• Usually has a productive cough for 3 months out of the year for 2 years
• Edema, inflammation and excessive mucus production of the bronchioles/bronchi
• Restricted air movement• Gas exchange is compromised• Retained CO2
Chronic Bronchitis
• Overweight• Productive cough• Rhonchi
Emphysema
• Loss of elasticity of the alveolar walls
• Distention of the sacs causing air trapping
• Air movement is restricted and patient retains carbon dioxide
Emphysema
• Thin, barrel chest• Non-productive cough• Prolonged exhalation• Pursed lip breathing• Wheezing and rhonchi
Treatment of COPD
• Ensure open airway, adequate breathing, supplemental oxygen, position of comfort
Hypoxic Drive
• COPD patients• Low levels of oxygen in the body
stimulate breathing• In theory too much oxygen can
cause the body to reduce or stop breathing
• Usually occurs with high concentrations of O2 over 24 hours
Hypoxic Drive
• Not normally a problem in prehospital environments
• Always give high flow oxygen to those who need it
Asthma
• Reversible narrowing of the lower airways
• Edema, bronchospasm, and increased mucus production
• Mucus production block smaller airways and causes air to be trapped in the alveoli
Asthma
• Exhalation becomes difficult and patients must force air out past constricted airways
• This causes wheezing on exhalation
• Exhalation becomes an active process
Asthma
• Lack of wheezing or lung sounds in a patient suffering from an asthma attack is ominous
• Status asthmaticus-prolonged attack which does not respond to oxygen or medication
Pneumonia
• Viral or bacterial disease infecting the lower respiratory tract
• Causes lung inflammation• Poor gas exchange
Pneumonia
• Signs/symptoms• fever/chills• cough• dyspnea• chest pain-localized, sharp, worse
with breathing• rhonchi/crackles
Pulmonary Embolus
• Sudden blockage of blood flow through a pulmonary artery or branches
• Due to blood clot, air bubble, foreign body, fat particle
• Decrease in gas exchange• Hypoxia
Pulmonary Embolus
• Risk factors• recent surgery• prolonged immobilization• multiple fractures• thrombophlebitis • chronic atrial fibrillation• medications (OCP’s)
Pulmonary Embolus
• Suspect if sudden onset of unexplained dyspnea, hypoxia, tachypnea, and stabbing chest pain
• Will have normal breath sounds and adequate volume
Acute Pulmonary Edema
• Excessive amount of fluid between alveoli and capillary space
• Disturbs gas exchange• Causes hypoxia• Cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic
Acute Pulmonary Edema
• Signs/symptoms• dyspnea worse with exertion• orthopnea• blood tinged sputum• tachycardia• pale, moist skin• swollen lower extremities
Respiratory-Pediatric Patients• Remember the most common cause of
cardiac problems in pediatrics is---???
• Respiratory intervention must begin quickly and be monitored at all times
• Know the difference in structures from adults
Inadequate Pediatric Breathing
• Early signs• accessory muscle use• retractions• tachypnea• tachycardia
Inadequate Pediatric Breathing• nasal flaring• coughing• cyanosis to the extremities• grunting (Bad Bad Sign)-seen in
infants during exhalation signaling imminent failure
Pediatric Respiratory Failure• Altered mental status• Pulse rises early then drops fast• Bradycardia• Hypotension• Irregular breathing pattern
Pediatric Respiratory Failure• Seesaw pattern-abdomen and
chest move in different directions• Limp appearance• Head bobbing with each breath
Pediatric Problems
• Distinguish whether the airway problem is upper or lower
Pediatric Problems
• Stridor and crowing indicate upper airway obstruction
• Usually due to edema or foreign body obstruction
• Wheezing is sign of lower airway problem
Epiglottis
• Inflammation of the epiglottis• History of sore throat, fever, stridor• Child sits upright leaning forward,
sits the neck out, drooling• Life-threatening emergency• Do not inspect the airway as
bronchospasm may completely obstruct the airway
Croup
• Swelling of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi
• Sore throat and fever worse at night
• Seal-like cough• Cool night air usually helps
Patient Care-Pediatrics
• Monitor airway and breathing constantly • Nothing is more important than
adequate airway care• Ensure adequate breathing• Intervene quickly and appropriately
when necessary• If in doubt-Treat as inadequate
breathing
Patient Care-Pediatrics
• If pulse remains low or breathing inadequate re-evaluate airway, ventilations, O2 canister (empty), tubing (kinked)
• If chest does not rise or pulse does not return to normal, increase ventilation force after ensuring proper technique
Treatment
• Oxygen is a drug• It must be administered correctly
and monitored
MDI’s
• Metered dose inhalers• Delivers a precise dose of
medication each time canister is depressed
MDI’s
• Bronchodilators• Albuterol- Proventil, Ventolin• Atrovent• Serevent
• Steroids• Vanceril• Aerobid• Azmacort
MDI’s
• Before using• patient must have signs &
symptoms of breathing difficulty• has a physician prescribed MDI• approval from medical control
Contraindications
• Not responsive enough to follow directions
• Medication out of date• Not prescribed for the patient• Permission not granted by medical
control• Patient has already taken the
maximum allowed dose prior to arrival
Administration
• Check name of medicine, date, and name prescribed to
• Obtain medical control order• Shake canister for 30 seconds
Administration
• Have patient• exhale fully• wrap lips around opening• inhale slowly as you depress
canister (5 seconds)• hold breathe for 10 seconds• exhale slowly
MDI’s
• Side effects include:• tachycardia• arrhythmia
• anxiety• nervousness