Respiration

Scope

• Respiratory system• Respiratory arrest, Respiratory distress• Choking

– Abdominal thrust

– Chest thrust

• Drowning and Rescue breathing• Asthmatic attack• Hyperventilation

Respiration

• The respiratory system

• Normal respiration– Effort less, steady, rhythmic, little/no noise– Rates

• Infant 24 – 40 cpm

• Child 20 – 30 cpm

• Adult 12 – 18 cpm

Respiration

• Gaseous content– Inspired air – 21% oxygen– Expired air – 16% oxygen

• Below 12 cpm assist ventilation

• Brain damage after 4 minutes without oxygen

Respiratory Arresst

• Respiratory arrest is a condition in which breathing has stopped.

• Cause– Result of choking, drowning, asthmatic attack etc.

• Sign– Casualty is unconscious– No breathing

• Treatment– Rescue breathing

Respiratory Distress

• Respiratory distress is difficulty in breathing.• Cause

– Process of Choking, drowning, asthmatic attack etc.

• Signs– Rapid, distress, noisy breathing and gasping– Confusion, irritability, leading to unconsciousness– Blueness of skin, cyanosis

• Treatment– Relate back to cause– Rescue breathing if breathing stop

Respiratory Distress

• Common cause– Foreign object obstructing airway– Crushing or penetrating chest injury– Poisonous gases– Drowning– Bronchospasm in bronchial asthma and allergic

reaction

Choking

• A form of respiratory distress

• Airway is partially or totally obstructed– By foreign body– Tongue

Drowning

• Air cannot get into the lungs– Wet drowning– Dry drowning

• Do not force water out of stomach– Does not improve respiration– Drain naturally– Stomach content being aspirated

• Do not use abdominal or chest thrust unless– Airway obstructed or resuscitation failed

Drowning

• Treatment– Do not waste time empty water from casualty’s

lung– Get help– Do rescue breathing if needed– Keep casualty warm– Arrange to medical attention even recover

Severe Asthmatic Attack

• Shortness of breath due to narrowing of air passage due to– Allergy/Influenza/Drugs/Smoke

• Sign– Wheezing– Distress and anxiety– Difficulty in speaking– Grey-blue skin– Dry thick cough– Severe attack– Unconscious

Hyperventilaton

• Condition of casualty breathing to fast and has his hand and feet going into spasm

• Cause– Excessive breathing– Anxiety– Hysteria or Panic attack

Hyperventilation

• Sign– Unnaturally, fast, deep breathing

– Dizziness, faintness

– Tingling or marked tingling in the hands

– Cramps in hands and feet

• Treatment– Lead casualty to quiet space

– Ask casualty to brief slowly

– Let him re-breath his own expired air

Airway Obstruction

• Casualty consciousness– Conscious– Unconscious

• Casualty’s condition– Adults– Obese or pregnant– Infant

Adominal Thrust

For conscious adult

• Face casualty and verbally confirm choking

• Try to ask casualty to cough

• Do abdominal thrust if coughing fail to clear the obstruction

• Also known as Heimlich maneuver

Heimlich maneuver

• Stand behind casualty• Locates victim’s navel• Make fist with knuckles up• Grab fist with other hand• Press clenched fist

– Inward and upward thrust– Separate and distinct effort– Stop when object is dislodged

Abdominal Thrust

For unconscious adult• Tap shoulder and ask• Call for ambulance and place casualty on his back• Open airway • Check breathing• Perform abdominal thrust 5 times• Check mouth for foreign body• Try again till obstruction is clear• Put casualty in recovery position.

Special cases

• Pregnant and Obese– Kneel on side of casualty– Apply thrust at middle of sternum

• Infants– Stroke the back holding infants leg.

Rescue Breathing

• Mouth to mouth• Mouth to nose

– Mouth cannot open (trismus)– Mouth is seriously injured– Casualty vomiting severely– Casualty ingested poison

• Special cases– Infant