If your respiratory rate is above normal, it could indicate another underlying condition. Some variation in respiratory rate occurs naturally as we age. As we get older, we become more prone to diseases and organ dysfunction. Some organs are closely linked to your respiratory health and can change your respiratory rate. Respiration is the metabolic process of oxygen intake and carbon dioxide release. The respiratory drive is broken down into three systems: neural central control, sensory input, and muscular effect.
The neural central control system sets the ventilation rate and air intake volume. The sensory system lets the central nervous system know how much volume and at what rate to breathe. The muscular system moves the lungs in accordance with signal inputs. When we breath out, we release low oxygen and high carbon dioxide air.
When we breath in, we take in high oxygen and low carbon dioxide air. The exchange of these elements is important for metabolic processes to continue at the cellular level. The respiratory drive is tied closely to the central nervous system.
When the central nervous system is altered or damaged, it can affect the rate of respiration. For example, a stroke that causes brain stem damage can affect breathing. Narcotics, such as opioids, can also depress the central nervous system and affect breathing.
Alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system. The effects of alcohol continue to increase the more you consume. Roughly four to six servings of alcohol are enough to negatively impact the functioning of your central nervous system. Narcotics can have a major influence on the central nervous system. Some drugs may act as a depressant, while others act as stimulants.
The effects can be seen system-wide, from blood pressure to respiration rate. Marijuana, hallucinogenics, and opioids are all known to affect respiratory rate. Deaths from opioid overdose , which claim more than lives every day in the United States, are often caused by altered or dysfunctional breathing.
Hypothyroidism is caused by an underactive thyroid gland. The thyroid hormone plays an important role in many body processes, including respiration. Hypothyroidism can weaken the muscles of the lungs, making it harder to breath. This can slow down your normal respiratory rate. According to the CDC, stroke is responsible for the deaths of , Americans each year.
One of the common complications of stroke is respiratory system dysfunction. Changes in the respiratory rate can be minor to severe, depending on the stroke. Minor respiratory changes can lead to sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea.
Major respiratory disturbances can lead to more serious complications, such as the need for a breathing tube. Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing pattern is disrupted during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea are the two main types of this condition. This can be caused by underlying factors, such as stroke, heart failure, or certain medications.
A fever is one of the normal reactions the body experiences when fighting an infection. There are many signs and symptoms of a fever, including hot skin, sweating, and shivering. Normal respiration rates for an adult person at rest range from 12 to 16 breaths per minute. Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls during contraction and relaxation of the heart. Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries, resulting in the highest blood pressure as the heart contracts.
When the heart relaxes, the blood pressure falls. Two numbers are recorded when measuring blood pressure. The higher number, or systolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart contracts and pumps blood through the body. The lower number, or diastolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart is at rest and is filling with blood.
Both the systolic and diastolic pressures are recorded as "mm Hg" millimeters of mercury. This recording represents how high the mercury column in an old-fashioned manual blood pressure device called a mercury manometer or sphygmomanometer is raised by the pressure of the blood. Today, your doctor's office is more likely to use a simple dial for this measurement. High blood pressure , or hypertension, directly increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
With high blood pressure, the arteries may have an increased resistance against the flow of blood, causing the heart to pump harder to circulate the blood. Elevated blood pressure is systolic of to and diastolic less than Stage 1 high blood pressure is systolic is to or diastolic between 80 to Stage 2 high blood pressure is when systolic is or higher or the diastolic is 90 or higher. These numbers should be used as a guide only. A single blood pressure measurement that is higher than normal is not necessarily an indication of a problem.
Your doctor will want to see multiple blood pressure measurements over several days or weeks before making a diagnosis of high blood pressure and starting treatment. Ask your provider when to contact him or her if your blood pressure readings are not within the normal range. For people with hypertension, home monitoring allows your doctor to monitor how much your blood pressure changes during the day, and from day to day.
This may also help your doctor determine how effectively your blood pressure medication is working. Either an aneroid monitor, which has a dial gauge and is read by looking at a pointer, or a digital monitor, in which the blood pressure reading flashes on a small screen, can be used to measure blood pressure. The aneroid monitor is less expensive than the digital monitor. The cuff is inflated by hand by squeezing a rubber bulb.
Some units even have a special feature to make it easier to put the cuff on with one hand. However, the unit can be easily damaged and become less accurate.
Because the person using it must listen for heartbeats with the stethoscope, it may not be appropriate for the hearing-impaired. The digital monitor is automatic, with the measurements appearing on a small screen.
Because the recordings are easy to read, this is the most popular blood pressure measuring device. It is also easier to use than the aneroid unit, and since there is no need to listen to heartbeats through the stethoscope, this is a good device for hearing-impaired patients. One disadvantage is that body movement or an irregular heart rate can change the accuracy. These units are also more expensive than the aneroid monitors. In addition, they are more expensive than other monitors. The American Heart Association recommends the following guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring:.
Sit with your back supported don't sit on a couch or soft chair. Keep your feet on the floor uncrossed. Place your arm on a solid flat surface like a table with the upper part of the arm at heart level. Place the middle of the cuff directly above the bend of the elbow.
Check the monitor's instruction manual for an illustration. Your provider will explain when it is important to go to the emergency room. Call or the local emergency number, or go to the emergency room if you are breathing rapidly and you have:.
Treatment will depend on the underlying cause of the rapid breathing. Treatment may include oxygen if your oxygen level is too low. If you are having an asthma or a COPD attack, you'll receive treatment to stop the attack.
Tachypnea; Breathing - rapid and shallow; Fast shallow breathing; Respiratory rate - rapid and shallow. Kraft M. Approach to the patient with respiratory disease. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; chap McGee S. Respiratory rate and abnormal breathing patterns.
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