Acute Respiratory Failure. Basic Concepts for Noninvasive Ventilation Approach

Abstract

Respiratory failure occurs when the respiratory system cannot adequately provide oxygen to the body or sufficiently remove carbon dioxide from the cells, resulting in inadequate gas exchange. It usually presents with dyspnoea, increased breathing work or impaired mental status, and abnormal arterial blood gas levels. There are two different groups recognized: Type 1 or hypoxemic respiratory failure, that results from lung diseases, causing oxygenation impairment and type 2 or hypercapnic respiratory failure, that results from pump failure, resulting in hypoventilation and hypercapnia. A thorough understanding of its physiopathology is crucial to this disorder management.