Excerpts from Principles of Airway Management and Ventilation for the Emergency Medical Responder

Some of the causes of respiratory compromise are:

• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Heart attack
• Severe allergic reactions
• Exposure to toxic substances, and
• Inhalation of super-heated air

Cyanosis is the abnormal blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane and occurs when more oxygen is offloaded to the peripheral tissue. While Hypercarbia is the presence of excess levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Both are indications of respiratory compromise that can slowly lead to respiratory distress.

So, what are the signs of abnormal breathing?

• Increased work for breathing
• An absent or shallow rise and fall of the chest
• Little or no air heard or felt at nose and mouth
• Noisy breathing or gasping sounds
• Skin that is pale or cyanotic
• Sitting or leaning forward in a tripod position
• Agonal respirations, which is slow and sporadic gasps of air from an unresponsive patient