Treatment for respiratory failure

The treatment of respiratory failure must be guided by a pulmonologist and usually varies according to the cause of the disease and the type of respiratory failure, and acute respiratory failure must always be treated during hospitalization.

In the case of chronic respiratory failure, treatment can be done at home with:

Medicines that help air enter the lungs: medications like Carbocysteine or Acebrophylline decrease the amount of secretions in the lungs, improving blood oxygen levels; CPAP: it is a device that facilitates breathing during sleep and, therefore, it is widely used when the patient has decreased oxygen levels during the night. Learn more about this device at: CPAP; Portable oxygen mask: it is used when the patient has shortness of breath during the day to do daily activities, such as climbing stairs or working, for example; Tracheostomy: this type of treatment is only used when respiratory failure is caused by diseases in the mouth and throat, such as tumors or cancer.

In addition to these treatments and depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor may also recommend doing physical therapy to strengthen the respiratory muscles and facilitate the entry of oxygen into the lungs, reducing the need for treatment over the years.

During treatment, the patient should make regular appointments with the pulmonologist to assess his blood oxygen levels and reassess the treatment, avoiding the onset of very serious complications, such as respiratory or cardiac arrest.

In the most severe cases, in which the patient has difficulty breathing or cannot control oxygen levels with the treatments indicated above, the patient must be admitted to the hospital to be connected to a ventilator.

Physical therapy treatment for respiratory failure

Physiotherapeutic treatment for respiratory failure, also known as kinesiotherapy, should be done in specialized clinics, at least 3 times a week, to help eliminate excess secretions and increase the capacity of the lungs, improving breathing and oxygen levels in the lungs. blood.

Read more about this type of physiotherapy at: Respiratory physiotherapy.

Signs of improvement in respiratory failure

Signs of improvement in respiratory failure usually appear 3 days after the start of treatment and include decreased feeling of shortness of breath, reduced tiredness, normal breathing and pink fingers, for example.

Signs of worsening respiratory failure

Signs of worsening respiratory failure appear when treatment is not working or is not being done properly, including difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, excessive tiredness when walking, dizziness, chest pain or bluish, cold fingers.