Respiratory systemHave you ever felt like you were out of breath…. This all comes down to the respiratory system. The respiratory system is divided into two different parts. The first part is the upper respiratory tract and the second part is the lower respiratory tract. Muscles, respiratory distress, failure, hypoxic drive, extra. The upper respiratory tract includes the nasal passages, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, epiglottis, and trachea. The nasal cavity is a giant space located behind the nose; both nostrils connect to this cavity and bring air into our body. The oral cavity is a part of the mouth located behind our gums and teeth, connected by soft and hard palates. Just behind the oral cavity is the pharynx which empties into the esophagus. Respiratory distress not only occurs in adults, it is also caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which occurs when fluid escapes. accumulates in the tiny elastic air sacs (alveoli). in your lungs. When there is fluid in your lungs, there is less room for oxygen, leading to not enough oxygen reaching your organs so they cannot function properly. It is common and easier to develop respiratory distress in cases of illness or trauma. Since your body is already weakened, the chances of more serious problems are higher. “Many people who develop ARDS do not survive. The risk of death increases with age and severity of illness. Among people who survive ARDS, some make a full recovery while others experience lasting damage to their lungs. The majority of people who develop respiratory distress already discover they have an illness or have experienced trauma, so when they discover they have respiratory distress, they are already hospitalized because of previous problems. “Respiratory failure is a syndrome in which the respiratory system fails. in one or both of its gas exchange functions: oxygenation and elimination of carbon dioxide. There are two different types of respiratory failure: there is type I and type II. Type I, called hypoxemic respiratory failure, occurs when blood oxygen pressure is less than 60 mm Hg with normal or low blood carbon dioxide pressure. Type I is most common in cases of respiratory failure. Typically, respiratory failure is associated with another disease, such as fluid filling in the alveolar units. “Some examples of type I respiratory failure are cardiogenic or non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, pneumonia, and pulmonary hemorrhage. » Type II, called hypercapnic respiratory failure, occurs when blood oxygen pressure is greater than 50 mm Hg. "Hypoxemia is common in patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure who breathe room air." There are also many examples of Type II, such as "...drug overdose, neuromuscular disease, chest wall abnormalities, and serious airway disorders (e.g., asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD ]).” Most signs and symptoms of respiratory failure, whether type I or type II, are very similar. Some of the signs and symptoms are shortness of breath, cyanosis (if oxygen levels are very low), and when carbon dioxide levels are high it can also cause rapid breathing and/or confusion.