Breathing Emergencies

GASP!!!

Breathing Emergencies• Victim has difficulty/stops

breathing• Caused by:

DrowningObstructed airway (choking)Heart attackShockEmotional distressAllergic reactionsDrugsInjury to head/lungs/abdomen

Breathing Emergencies• A victim who is having

trouble breathing is in Respiratory Distress– Slow/rapid breathing– Deep/shallow breathing– Increased heart rate– Flushed/pale/ashen skin– Moist/pale skin– Tingling in hands/feet– Gasping for breath*Can turn into respiratory

arrest/failure*

How to Care for Respiratory Distress

• Summon EMS personnel• Help victim rest in a comfortable position• Reassure/comfort the victim• Administer emergency oxygen, if trained to

do so.• Keep victim from getting chilled/overheated

Rescue Breathing

• When do I do rescue breathing?A victim has a pulse, but is NOT breathing!

DVD Segment: Rescue Breathing

Rescue Breathing

• When do I STOP rescue breathing?- Victim begins to breath on his own- Another trained rescuer arrives and

takes over- The victim loses his pulse (start

CPR)- Scene becomes unsafe

Rescue Breathing

• How do I perform rescue breathing?

Position rescue maskTilt head/lift the chin to

open airwayEach breath should last

one second, make the chest clearly rise!

Rescue Breathing

Adult: One breath every 5 seconds

Child: One breath every 3 seconds

Infant: One breath every 3 seconds

Rescue Breathing

• Continue rescue breathing for 2 minutes!

• Remove mask and look for movement and recheck breathing for no more than 10 seconds!

DVD Segment: Bag-Valve-Mask Resuscitator

Airway Obstruction

• Most common cause of respiratory emergencies• Can be anatomical (tongue, swollen tissue) or mechanical

(foreign object)• Can be partially obstructed (wheezing sounds) or

completely obstructed (can’t make any sound at all• Conscious victim who is clutching his throat with one or

both hands is usually choking (universal sign of choking)• Make sure you get consent

Obstructed Airway - Conscious

• How do I do this?– Get consent– Encourage them to

continue coughing– If they stop talking,

call EMS.

Conscious Choking Infant• If infant cannot cough, cry or breath, call EMS• Carefully position infant face-down along your forearm• Give 5 back blows with the heel of your hand• Turn infant over and give 5 chest thrusts

Place 2 to 3 fingers on the center of the chestCompress chest ½ to 1 inch

• Keep going until:1. Object comes out2. Infant begins to cough/cry/breathe3. . Becomes unconscious

Obstructed Airway - Conscious

• Lean victim forward• Give 5 back blows

with the heal of you hand

• Give 5 abdominal thrusts

• Continue until object comes out or they pass out

Airway Obstruction – Unconscious Adult/Child

• If you initial two breaths do not go in, re-tilt the head and try two more breaths.

• If they still do not go in (make the chest clearly rise) give 5 chest thrusts

• Place on head on the center of the chest• For an adult, compress 1 ½ to 2 inches• For a child, compress chest 1 to 1 ½ inches

Airway Obstruction – Unconscious Adult/Child

• Look inside victim’s mouth• If you see the object, remove it with your

finger• Replace the mask and give 2 rescue breaths.• If they don’t go in, repeat the cycle of chest

thrusts, object check and breaths

Unconscious Choking Infant

• If breaths do not go in, reposition and try again

• If they still don’t go in, begin a cycle of 5 chest thrusts/5 back blows

• Check for object• Give breaths

DVD Segment: Airway Obstruction