Etiology and pathogenesis of acute respiratory failure

Violeta Žilienė^{1, 2}, Anatolijus Juozas Kondrotas², Egidijus Kėvelaitis²

¹Department of Neurosurgery, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, ²Department of Physiology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: acute respiratory failure, etiology, hypoxemia, pathogenesis.

Summary. The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing acute respiratory failure and pathogenesis according to literature and clinical findings in critically ill patients. The term “respiratory failure” implies the inability to maintain either the normal delivery of oxygen to tissues and release or the normal removal of carbon dioxide from the tissues. There are many patients suffering from acute respiratory failure caused by nosocomial pneumonia, septic syndrome, aspiration, interstitial or alveolar lung edema, thromboembolism of a. pulmonalis, polytrauma and lung contusion, acute respiratory distress syndrome, long-term mechanical ventilation of the lungs, acute lung injury, status asthmaticus, rather massive transfusions of blood products, and lipid embolism in the intensive care unit. There are actually three processes involved: the transfer of oxygen across the alveolus, the transport to the tissues (by cardiac output), and the removal of carbon dioxide from blood into the alveolus with subsequent exhalation into the environment. Failure of any step in this process can lead to respiratory failure. Long-term hypoxia causes ischemic changes and dysfunction of brain, heart, kidney, lungs and can worsen the course of disease or cause higher mortality.

It is important to determine the pathogenetic mechanisms of acute respiratory failure, estimate the main parameters and their interrelations and prescribe proper treatment.

Correspondence to V. Žilienė, Clinic of Neurosurgery, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Eivenių 2, 3007 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: zil@kalnieciai.lt; anest@one.lt

Received 15 September 2003, accepted 28 January 2004