Lecture Notes: Abnormal Breathing Patterns

Introduction

• Respiration/Breathing: Process by which oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide is expelled.
  • One respiration includes one inspiration and one expiration.
  • Three processes of respiration:
    • Ventilation: Movement of gases in/out of lungs.
    • Diffusion: Movement of O2 and CO2 between alveoli and RBCs.
    • Perfusion: Distribution of RBCs to/from the pulmonary capillaries.

Assessing Respiration

• Measured by observing chest rise and fall, expressed in breaths per minute.
• Variables to Assess:
  • Rate: Number of breaths per minute.
    • Tachypnea: High respiratory rate.
    • Bradypnea: Low respiratory rate.
    • Normal rates:
      • Adults: 12-20 breaths/min
      • Children: 16-25 breaths/min
      • Infants: 30-50 breaths/min
  • Rhythm: Regularity of breaths (regular/irregular).
  • Character: Depth and quality (deep, shallow, labored, etc.).

Abnormal Breathing Patterns

• Causes:
  • Psychological: Depression, anxiety, stress.
  • Drugs: Aspirin overdose, hormonal drugs, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine.
  • Medical: Anemia, asthma, pneumonia, COPD, etc.
  • Other: High altitude, fever, exercise.

Types of Breathing Patterns

1. Eupnea (Normal Breathing)

   • Breathing rate: Adults (12-20 bpm), Children (16-25 bpm), Infants (30-50 bpm).
   • Graphical Representation: Ascending (inspiration) and descending (expiration) curves.

2. Bradypnea

   • Rate < 12 breaths per minute.
   • Characterized by slow, shallow breathing.
   • Causes: Diabetic coma, cardiac issues, drug-induced depression, etc.
   • Age-specific rates for bradypnea.

3. Tachypnea

   • Rate > 20 breaths per minute.
   • Characterized by rapid, shallow breathing.
   • Causes: Lung disease, fever, hypertension, etc.
   • Age-specific rates for tachypnea.

4. Ataxic or Biot's Breathing

   • Unpredictable irregularity; shallow or deep breaths with pauses.
   • Causes: Respiratory depression, brain damage.

5. Sighing Respiration

   • Breathing with frequent sighs, possibly indicating hyperventilation syndrome.

6. Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

   • Alternating deep breathing with periods of apnea.
   • Causes: Heart failure, brain damage, drug-induced depression.

7. Rapid Deep Breathing (Hyperpnea/Hyperventilation)

   • Causes: Exercise, anxiety, metabolic acidosis.
   • Kusmal breathing due to metabolic acidosis.

8. Obstructive Breathing

   • Prolonged expiration due to increased airway resistance.
   • Causes: Asthma, chronic bronchitis, COPD.

9. Apnea

   • Absence of respiration for several seconds.
   • Persistent apnea leads to respiratory arrest.

Conclusion

• Understanding abnormal breathing patterns is crucial for nurses to assess patients' respiratory health.
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