Respiratory Care
The focus of respiratory care is to provide relief to individuals suffering from chronic lung and airway diseases, as well as for those who have had a stroke, traumatic injury or heart attack that affected respiration. Respiratory care may take place in a hospital setting, a doctor's office or even within a patient's home.
Benefits of Respiratory Care
Respiratory care services provide patients with many benefits, including the ability to manage their respiratory illness using both therapeutic and medical measures. These services focus on helping patients improve their breathing through various techniques, which may involve performing breathing exercises or using a ventilator or breathing machine, to improve the patient's overall quality of life.
Reasons for Respiratory Care
Respiratory care services provide long-term therapy for patients of all ages with chronic respiratory illness. Respiratory illnesses include conditions of the upper respiratory tract, trachea and bronchi, as well as the nerves and muscles that impact breathing. These illnesses range in severity and may be triggered by a variety of factors, including infection following a viral illness, smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke and as a response to cold weather.
Types of Respiratory Illnesses
Respiratory care is effective for treating a wide range of illnesses that impact breathing patterns and the airways, including:
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic bronchitis
- Emphysema
- Acute bronchitis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Pneumonia
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- Pulmonary edema
- Pneumoconiosis
Pneumoconiosis is a respiratory condition that is the direct result of inhaling a substance that damages the lungs, one example of which is black lung disease that is caused by repeated exposure to coal dust.
Types of Respiratory Care
Respiratory care services may be implemented into various areas of medical care, including emergency services and rehabilitation, and may take place wherever the patient resides. Types of respiratory care include:
Long-Term Care
Respiratory therapists who specialize in long-term care may work in skilled nursing facilities, long-term care centers or rehabilitation facilities. Long-term care is typically focused on treating patients who have difficulty breathing on their own and may need breathing machines or ventilators.
Home Care
Many patients with long-term respiratory illnesses, such as emphysema, may wish to receive care at home rather than in a hospital.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation therapists help patients with chronic lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis cope with their conditions through a program of education, treatment and exercise.
Outcome of Respiratory Care
For many patients, a carefully customized plan involving breathing therapies and medication can provide effective treatment. Patients who cannot breathe on their own may benefit from using an artificial airway device or ventilator. Respiratory care also focuses on educating the patient, so that he or she will be able to better manage the condition. Patients who take part in respiratory care programs will frequently undergo an assessment of their breathing to ensure that the treatment being undertaken is working successfully.
