1. Upper Airway - mouth, nose and throat

2. lower airway - trache, bronchi and bronchioles

3. alveoli - small sacs in lungs where O2/Co2 exchange takes place

4. Chest Wall / Diaphragm - similar to a bellows - forces air in and out

5. Nervous System Drive - regulates rate and depth of respiration

Open upper airway

Open lower airway

Alveoli with membrane exposed to air

Functioning "bellows" mechanism

Intact nervouse system drive

Causes: Food, swallowed tongue

Assessment: no air in/out. For partial obstruction: swallowing, talking problems; drooling; noisy/difficult breathing, stridor

treatmeant: remove obstruction by heimlich manuever. With Partial obstruction: "Do not harm", encourage coughing. Monitor closely, realizing partial obstructions have a high potential to become worse. Check skin color, changes in LOR, worsening of respiratory distress. Is patient getting enough air to support life?

Causes: spasm, swelling, accumulation of mucus or pus - asthma, bronchitis, anaphylaxis

Assessment: Expiration is often prolonged w/ wheezing or gurgling, coughing, history of respiratory illness

Treatmeant: PROV, specific treatmeant for cause (bronchiodilators, antiobiotics, evacuation)

Causes: Capilarry leakage caused by too much pressure in circulatory system (congestive heart failure, smoke inhalation, altitude); drowning, long contusion (bruising) or laceration; inflammation from infection; irritation from allergies

Assessment: gurgling, rales, foaming at mouth, pus or blood-tinged sputum, shortness of breath, shock s/s

Treatment: PROV, specific treatment for cause

Causes: blunt trauma, penetrating injury

• lung contusion 
• unstable chest wall
• hemothorax and pneumothorax - blood and air in chest cavity

Causes: Toxins, drugs/ alcohol, HACE (High Altitude cerebrial edema), trauma, diabetes, hypothermia

Assessment: Slow or irregular breathing, decreased MS / LOR

Treatment: BLS, PROV with an emphasis on ventilation if breathing is slow