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What Causes Temporary Cessation Of Breathing While Treating Chronic 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 cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Explain why the patient stopped breathing.
Wed, 21 Oct 2015
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Thank you for asking at HCM.
There are few centers in the brain that control respiration and are generally driven by the C02 level in blood. In conditions like COPD where there are chronically high levels of C02 the respiration is no more controlled by C02 levels in blood but by the O2 level in blood. In this case giving high concentration oxygen in breathing air makes oxygen in blood go too high while C02 builds up and respiration centers are stopped and the patient stops breathing. It is crucial to not give high oxygen air to patients with COPD.
Hope this is helpful to you and answers to your question
Thank you for asking at HCM.
There are few centers in the brain that control respiration and are generally driven by the C02 level in blood. In conditions like COPD where there are chronically high levels of C02 the respiration is no more controlled by C02 levels in blood but by the O2 level in blood. In this case giving high concentration oxygen in breathing air makes oxygen in blood go too high while C02 builds up and respiration centers are stopped and the patient stops breathing. It is crucial to not give high oxygen air to patients with COPD.
Hope this is helpful to you and answers to your question
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