Bradypnea

Bradypnea






Bradypnea is the condition of reduced rate of breathing. It indicates the person is not taking sufficient amounts of oxygen while breathing. If the breathing rate is below 12 breaths for one minute this condition is called bradypnea. It can be due to number of reasons and underlying medical conditions. For many people, the level of breathing can go down during sleep which is normal. But when the person has low rate of breathing when he is awake it is a serious symptom of this disease.

Causes :

Anything that interrupts the normal pumping action of the heart can cause bradypnea. Several factors and medical conditions can cause this problem.

If the tissues of the heart get damaged due to Heart Attack or other cardiovascular problems, it can reduce the rate of breathing. Aging can affect the heart tissue allowing it to deteriorate. Some of the factors that trigger low breathing are increased Blood Pressure, congenital heart problems, and myocardial infraction. People who have undergone open heart surgery can have this problem, if the surgery was complicated. Reduction in the rate of breathing can be caused by Hypothyroidism, imbalance of electrolytes and due to sleep apnea or other sleeping disorders.

Diseases like rheumatic fever or lupus can cause severe inflammation on the heart tissues affecting the breathing metabolism. Excess of iron particles on the organs can interrupt the activities of heart. Intake of strong medications for psychiatric problems and Hypertension can affect the heart rhythm. Drugs which produce sedative effect can alter the rate of respiration and intake of alcohol in high doses can cause the same effect. Brain tumor and certain metabolic disorders can cause bradypnea.

Symptoms :

Due to reduced breathing rate, the person may have one or more symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, fainting sensation, weakness, shortness of breath, confusion or memory loss and extreme tiredness. The affected person becomes tired easily due to routine activities. In athletes the heartbeat lower than 60 beat is considered to be normal for healthy adults. But it cannot be lower than 25 which indicates serious problem in heart.

Diagnoses :

The doctor will physically examine the patient and look for symptoms like dizziness or shortness of breath. He may order for Electrocardiogram for analyzing the heart function and for studying the heart rhythm.

Treatment :

The best treatment is to give artificial respiration. But the treatment mode depends on the health condition of the patient and his symptoms. First the doctor will have to identify the cause of reduced respiration rate and provide suitable treatment.

If bradypnea is due to medical issues like hypothyroidism or sleep disorders then your doctor will start treating the underlying causes.

The doctor will examine the patient and collect his medical history. He will enquire how long he has this problem and about the medications he is taking. Since some medicines given for blood pressure can create this problem, he would change the drugs that produce side effects.

Surgery is the last option for bradypnea and is done only when the intracranial pressure inside the heart is very high. Some patients with kidney or liver failure may suffer from breathing problems and hence the doctor will monitor the health conditions regularly.

Pacemaker is kept inside the heart for some individuals and is beneficial in supervising the heartbeat and keeps the rate of breathing normal. This is a battery operated device that looks like a cell phone. This device is implanted in the collarbone by surgical process and wires from the pacemaker are connected to the heart veins and electrodes are connected to these wires.

Bradypnea – Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Bradypnea – Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

What is Bradypnea?

This is an unusually slow rate of breathing. It is characterized as under 12 breaths per minute for anyone amid the ages of 12 to 50. The rates of breathing differ for older adults as well as younger children. If an individual has this problem, it means that the individual is not receiving the proper amount of oxygen, as well as it can be an indication of underlying medical problems that need to be dealt with. Many care providers may be involved to diagnosis why an individual is breathing slower than normal.

One of the reasons for an individual to be breathing slower is when he/she is asleep. The slowing down of breathing is typical when individuals are sleeping since their body totally slows down. But, in some people who are awake, a slow respiratory rate is normally a symptom of a crisis except if the individual is conducting breathing exercises that can involve deepening and slowing the breaths.

Bradypnea Causes

There are many causes of bradycardia such as anything which disrupts the normal electrical impulses which control the rate of the heart’s pumping action. There are many things which can cause or contribute to problems with the heart’s electrical system, including:

• Degeneration of heart tissue because of aging


• Damage to tissues in the heart from Heart Attack or heart disease


• High Blood Pressure or Hypertension


• Congenital heart defect which is disorder present at birth


• Heart tissue infection also known as myocarditis


• Complication of heart surgery


• Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid gland


• Imbalance of electrolytes which are mineral related substances needed for conducting electrical impulses


• Obstructive Sleep Apnea which is the repeated disruption of breathing during sleep.


• Inflammatory disease, such as lupus or rheumatic fever


• Buildup of iron in the organs known as hermochromatosis


• Medications, such as drugs for other heart rhythm disorders, psychosis as well as high blood pressure

A general reason for bradypnea is sedation. Drugs which have a sedative effect lessen the rate of respiration, as can other substances such as alcohol that has a depressive result on the respiratory system. Those individuals who abuse opiads as well as opiates may also develop bradypnea. Another reason for bradypnea can be a tumor in the brain or intracranial pressure which is high and shocks the areas in the brain which are involved in regulating breathing. There are also some metabolic disorders which also can be involved in bradypnea.

Individuals may also develop “respiratory decompensation”, where the system of respiration is compromised or damaged and does not work as well as it should. This is very common in older adults, as their bodies begin to wear down and it can also occur in those with chronic lung conditions and conditions involving the nervous system. Additional cause of this problem is renal failure. All of these conditions can be perilous, not only because they limit the oxygen supplies because of slow breathing, but they also can cause danger to other organ systems in the body.

Bradypnea Symptoms

If an individual has bradycardia, the brain as well as other organs can not get the amount of oxygen they require. Because of this, the individual may experience the below symptoms:

• Dizziness


• Near-fainting or fainting


• Fatigue


• Weakness


• Chest pains


• Shortness of breath


• Memory impairment or confusion


• Tiring easily during any physical activity

A resting heart rate slower than 60 beats per minute can be very normal for some individuals, especially for healthy, young adults as well as trained athletes. In these examples, bradycardia is not considered a problem with health.
There are numerous conditions which can cause symptoms as well as signs of bradycardia. It is very important to get an accurate and prompt diagnosis as well as appropriate care. See your primary care physician if you or your child has any bradycardia symptoms.

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Bradypnea Treatment

Urgent treatment for bradypnea involves giving the individual supplemental oxygen. Other treatments of bradycardia will depend on the type of electrical conduction problems, how severe the symptoms as well as the cause of the slow heart rate.

If there is an underlying disorder, for example hypothyroidism or sleep apnea, which is causing bradycardia, then treatment of the disorder, may correct any breathing problems.

Treatments may include everything from surgery to correcting dangerously intracranial pressure which is too high, to stay in a rehab program for addiction problems. If the underlying condition is one such as brain tumor or Kidney Failure, healthcare providers may need to monitor the individual carefully for any signs of labored or slowed breathing.

Since there are a number of drugs which can cause bradycardia, the doctor will need to check all medications the individual is taking and can propose alternative treatments. The problem can be corrected by changing drugs or lowering dosages. When alternative treatments are not possible and these symptoms need treatment, then a pacemaker is necessary.

A pacemaker is a device operated by a battery and is about the size of a cell phone which is implanted under the collarbone. Wires from this device are threaded thru veins as well as into the heart. Electrodes at the end of these wires are attached to heart tissues. This pacemaker can supervise the heart rate as well as creates electrical impulses as needed to keep the suitable rate.

Many pacemakers can also capture as well as record information which the cardiologist can use to monitor the heart. The individual will have regular follow-up visits to have the heart checked and ensure the pacemaker is properly functioning.