Monday October 13, 2008
Respiratory Failure Classification


Type I: Hypoxemic Failure (PaO2 < 60 at sea level)

Type II: Hypercapnic Failure (PCO2 > 45 mm hg)

Type III: Perioperative respiratory failure (increase atelectasis due to low functional residual capacity)

Type IV: Respiratory failure due to Shock. Type IV describes patients who are intubated and ventilated in the process of resuscitation for shock.