Table of Contents
The Difference Between Respiratory Distress, Failure, and Arrest
Respiratory distress
Respiratory distress is a condition of abnormal respiratory rate or effort.
Respiratory distress is a clinical state characterized by abnormal (increased or decreased) respiratory rate or effort. It encompasses a spectrum of signs from tachypnea with retractions to agonal gasps. Respiratory distress includes increased work of breathing, inadequate respiratory effort (e.g. hypoventilation or bradypnea), and irregular breathing.” PALS Provider Manual.
Respiratory distress = abnormal (increased or decreased) respiratory rate or effort.
Respiratory distress leads to respiratory failure.
Respiratory failure
Respiratory failure is a clinical state of inadequate oxygenation, ventilation, or both. That is, there is inadequate blood oxygenation, ventilation, or both to meet the metabolic demands of body tissues. The job of the lungs is to ventilate and oxygenate. When it doesn’t do any of that, it is failing.
Respiratory arrest
Respiratory arrest simply means the absence of breathing. The patient isn’t breathing.
Related Article: Hypoxemia vs. Tissue Hypoxia.