Hypercapnoeia (Type II Respiratory Failure)
Suggested approach and Clinical Pearls
- Type 2 respiratory failure requires an acidosis associated with an abnormally high PaCO2
- Improving patient ventilation resolves Type 2 respiratory failure
- Open and maintain the airway
- Consider airway management – chin lift, jaw thrust, oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal airways, LMA, ETT
- Improve ventilation
- Patient characteristics
- Sit up, reverse neuromuscular or respiratory depressant drug effects, decompress abdomen
- Treatment options
- Manual ventilation - BMV
- mechanical ventilation – non-invasive or invasive (emergent full face non-invasive ventilation can be delivered in the inpatient setting while awaiting admission to ICU or determining whether aggressive therapy is indicated)
- Patient characteristics
- Open and maintain the airway
- Consider location of ongoing care that is appropriate for patient based on patient needs, behaviour and anticipated plan