Respiratory failure

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/respiratory-failure

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the classification of respiratory failure?Type I (Hypoxemic) and Type II (Hypercapnic)
2. What is the primary pathophysiological mechanisms?Ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) mismatch, diffusion limitation, shunt, and hypoventilation
3. Why are there two types of respiratory failure?One type is called hypoxemic, where the blood has too little oxygen. The other is hypercapnic, where the blood has too much carbon dioxide. Each type has different causes and treatments.
4. How do doctors help people whose lungs are stuck?They use machines that push air into the lungs, called ventilators. Newer machines can be worn on the face instead of tubes in the throat, making them less invasive.

Hypoxemia: An abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood.
Hypercapnia: An abnormally high level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Ventilation-Perfusion (V/Q) Mismatch: An imbalance between the amount of air reaching the lungs and the amount of blood flowing through the lungs.