Respiratory emergencies are medical emergencies characterized by difficulty breathing or inability to breathe. Such emergencies can turn fatal if not dealt with properly and quickly. If someone begins to show signs of respiratory distress, medical help should be obtained immediately. For patients with chronic conditions that cause shortness of breath, people need to learn the difference between what is normal for the patient and what is a sign of a true emergency. For example, some people with asthma have natural wheezing and it is not a cause for concern, while extremely labored breathing is a sign that the patient is in distress.
In a respiratory emergency, a patient may take frequent shallow breaths, irregular breaths, or very slow breaths. In some cases, the patient stops breathing at all. Respiratory emergencies are often accompanied by pale, cool, and clammy skin, and the heart may stop beating or become irregular. The patient is also often extremely agitated, which can increase the severity of the emergency because more oxygen will be used in a panic.
Heart failure, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, croup, inflammation of the epiglottis, and the common cold are conditions associated with respiratory emergencies. In patients with chronic conditions, medications may be used in an attempt to keep the airway open, and if the airway begins to close, immediate intervention may be necessary. People can also experience acute reactions to allergens and drugs that lead to respiratory distress, and when objects become lodged in the throat, they can cause respiratory emergencies.
Some other causes of respiratory emergencies include medical problems such as pneumothorax, in which air fills the pleural space surrounding the lungs, and pleural effusion, in which the pleural space fills with fluid. Both of these conditions can occur as a result of trauma, and pleural effusion can occur as a consequence of long-term chronic disease.
Patients usually notice when they experience breathing emergencies. They may try to talk and often make gestures to indicate that they are having trouble breathing. It can be very frightening not being able to breathe, and the people providing care should try to keep the patient as calm as possible for anything that help is coming. Staying in an agitated state can create complications for the patient. If a patient stops breathing completely, rescue breathing should be started to reduce the risk of brain damage and increase the patient's chance of survival. Before rescue breaths are delivered, the airway should always be checked and swept for signs of objects that may be causing obstruction.