Respiratory failure classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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Classification

Type 1

• Type 1 respiratory failure is defined as hypoxia without hypercapnia, indeed the CO₂ level may be normal or low. It is typically caused by a ventilation/perfusion mismatch; the air flowing in and out of the lungs is not matched with the flow of blood to the lungs. This type is caused by conditions that affect oxygenation like:

1. Parenchymal disease (v-q mismatch)

2. Diseases of vasculature and shunts.

Type 2

• Type 2 respiratory failure is defined build up of carbon dioxide that has been generated by the body. The underlying causes are reduced breathing effort (in the fatigued patient), increased resistance to breathing (such as in asthma) or an increase in the area of the lung that is not available for gas exchange (such as in emphysema).