Respiratory failure history and symptoms
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hadeel Maksoud M.D.[2]
Overview
A positive history of sudden onset of shortness of breath, trauma to the neck or thorax and change in mental status is suggestive of respiratory failure. Common symptoms of respiratory failure include tachypnea , stridor and dyspnea. Less common symptoms of respiratory failure include anxiety, headache, and asterixis.
History and Symptoms
History
Patients with respiratory failure may have a positive history of:[1]
- Sudden onset of shortness of breath
- Trauma to neck or thorax
- Change in mental status
Common Symptoms
Common symptoms of respiratory failure include:[2][3]
- Dyspnea
- Tachypnea
- Confusion
- Use of accessory muscles
- Stridor
- Difficulty speaking
- Cyanosis
- Loss of gag reflex
- Intercostal space retraction
- Hypoventilation
Less Common Symptoms
Less common symptoms of respiratory failure include:[4]
References
- ↑ Goodman LR (January 1996). “Congestive heart failure and adult respiratory distress syndrome. New insights using computed tomography”. Radiol. Clin. North Am. 34 (1): 33–46. PMID 8539352.
- ↑ Gattinoni L, Presenti A, Torresin A, Baglioni S, Rivolta M, Rossi F, Scarani F, Marcolin R, Cappelletti G (July 1986). “Adult respiratory distress syndrome profiles by computed tomography”. J Thorac Imaging. 1 (3): 25–30. PMID 3298678.
- ↑ Rubenfeld GD, Caldwell E, Granton J, Hudson LD, Matthay MA (November 1999). “Interobserver variability in applying a radiographic definition for ARDS”. Chest. 116 (5): 1347–53. PMID 10559098.
- ↑ Pelosi P, Crotti S, Brazzi L, Gattinoni L (May 1996). “Computed tomography in adult respiratory distress syndrome: what has it taught us?”. Eur. Respir. J. 9 (5): 1055–62. PMID 8793469.
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