Severe respiratory failure / Severe hypoxemia

It is the partial pressure drop of blood oxygen below 80% (normal values are above 95% approximately). This translates to a low level of oxygen in the blood.

It may be due to respiratory failure due to respiratory pathology (COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary edema...), inspiratory difficulty, obstruction or damage to the lungs or respiratory tract (e.g. foreign body in the larynx), altitude sickness (in high regions where the inhaled air has less oxygen), acute cardiac pathology or problems in the gas exchange in the alveoli.

Symptoms include: breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, headache, bluish color (starting on the lips and/or nails), increased heart rate, coughing, noises when breathing.

To reach a diagnosis, your vital signs (heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation) will be taken, you will be asked about your medical history, as well as requesting blood gas analysis and/or blood tests and a chest X-ray.

The treatment will depend on the severity and is based on applying oxygen therapy (invasive or not, as required), respiratory physiotherapy, bronchodilator drugs, corticosteroids, vasoactive drugs, depending on the particular case.

If you have any of these symptoms and feel short of breath, go to the nearest emergency department.