RESPIRATORY FAILURE is one of
the most common reasons for admission
to the intensive care unit
(ICU) and a common comorbidity
in patients admitted for acute care.
What’s more, it’s the leading cause
of death from pneumonia and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) in the United States.
This article briefly reviews the
physiologic components of respiration,
differentiates the main types of
respiratory failure, and discusses
medical treatment and nursing care
for patients with respiratory failure.