Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression (OIRD), usually caused by opioid use or post-operative complications from anesthesia, occurs when the opioids desensitize the brain stem to rises in CO2, which can rapidly lead to full-blown respiratory failure. Given the growing number of 911 calls due to opioid abuse and subsequent respiratory...
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by severe shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate, often accompanied by cough, fever, chest pain and bluish lips or fingernails caused by low O2 levels.
ARDS can be triggered by direct injuries to the lung such as pneumonia, aspiration, smoke inhalation or blunt...
Capno 101: What is Airway Management?
Airway management is a critical EMS skill. Simply put, a patient without an airway will not survive – but placement of an advanced airway device in critically ill and injured patients is a high-risk procedure, and a misplaced airway can cause permanent disability or death.
The capnography...
Heart failure, aka congestive heart failure or CHF, is a condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs and chest, making it difficult for the lungs to inflate and the heart to pump.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflamed and narrowed airways. When the inflamed airways of asthma patients react strongly to certain inhaled substances, commonly referred to as an asthma attack, the outcome is a hyper-reactive airway that results in acute bronchospasm, reducing the flow of air into the lungs. Swelling...
An example of cardiogenic oscillations on a dog. This monitor and mainstream sensor are so quick the capnograph is actually counting and measuring each peak of the oscillations.
https://youtu.be/5e2oM35RFOE
Bob SullivanEMS1 ContributorUnderstand how monitoring end-tidal carbon dioxide helps assess and treat a patient in respiratory distress
Respiratory distress is one of the most common patient complaints. Waveform capnography is a valuable tool to determine the cause and severity of respiratory distress, to guide treatment decisions, and...
EMS1 SponsoredUnderstand how waveform capnography can be used to assess and treat ventilation, perfusion and metabolic emergencies in children
By Bob Sullivan
Assessing and caring for pediatric patients can be a challenge for EMS providers. Small children cannot verbalize what is bothering them, and the assessment depends...