Labored respiration or labored breathing is an abnormal respiration characterized by evidence of increased effort to breathe, including the use of accessory muscles of respiration, stridor, grunting, or nasal flaring.TheFreeDictionary > labored breathing Retrieved on Dec 12, 2009
Classification Labored breathing is distinguished from shortness of breath or dyspnea, which is the sensation of respiratory distress rather than a physical presentation.
Still, manyTheFreeDictionary, retrieved on Dec 12, 2009. Citing: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Ologies & -Isms. The Gale Group 2008 simply define dyspnea as difficulty in breathing without further specification, which may confuse it with e.g. labored breathing or tachypnea (rapid breathing). Labored breathing has occasionally been included in the definition of dyspnea as well.Definition of Dyspnea MedicineNet. Last Editorial Review: 11/1/1998] However, in the standard definition, these related signs may be present at the same time, but do not necessarily have to be. For instance, in respiratory arrest by a primary failure in respiratory muscles the patient, if conscious, may experience dyspnea, yet without having any labored breathing or tachypnea. The other way around, labored breathing or tachypnea can voluntarily be performed even when there is no dyspnea.
Presentations
Presentations of labored respiration include: Hyperpnea - faster and/or deeper breathing Tachypnea - increased breathing rate Retractions or recessions – sucking in of the skin, around the ribs and the top of the sternumUpToDate >Patient information: Croup in infants and children Charles R Woods, MD, MS. Last literature review version 17.3: September 2009 Use of accessory muscles of respiration rather than only the diaphragm
Causes Causes of labored breathing include: Severe metabolic acidosis, particularly diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) but also kidney failure. The specific associated breathing pattern is called Kussmaul breathing. Cardiac diseaseMedilexicon Medical Dictionary – 'Labored Respiration' Retrieved on Dec 12, 2009 Respiratory failure
See also List of terms of lung size and activity Agonal respiration, a specific type of abnormal breathing pattern
References