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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Breathlessness With Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

A patient was admitted to the hospital with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His PO2 was 55 and PCO2 was 65. A new resident orders 54% oxygen via the venturi mask. One hour later, after the oxygen was placed, the nurse finds the patient with no respiration or pulse. She calls for a Code Blue and begins CPR. Explain why the patient stopped breathing.
Thu, 14 Aug 2014
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
In COPD patients due to air trapping and improper expiration their pco2 is always high than normal individual. Their po2 tend to stay at lower side. This low o2 gives them central drive for breathing. So that they can breath fast and remove the co2 from the body. Now when we give these patients high flow o2 their central respiratory drive mediated by low o2 gets diminished so they start breathing slowly. These will cause further increase in Pco2. Highco2 inthe body cause co2 narcosis. So patient becomes comatose and stop breathing.
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What Causes Breathlessness With Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

In COPD patients due to air trapping and improper expiration their pco2 is always high than normal individual. Their po2 tend to stay at lower side. This low o2 gives them central drive for breathing. So that they can breath fast and remove the co2 from the body. Now when we give these patients high flow o2 their central respiratory drive mediated by low o2 gets diminished so they start breathing slowly. These will cause further increase in Pco2. Highco2 inthe body cause co2 narcosis. So patient becomes comatose and stop breathing.