Home Doctor: Practical Medicine for Every Household
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM The respiratory system is an anatomical apparatus that consists of the airways and the lungs, and it allows the exchange of gases in the body, which is the exit of carbon dioxide and the entry of oxygen into the blood, allowing for the vitality of tissues and organs.
BruceBlaus, Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
The breathing rate is the number of times a person breathes in a given amount of time. Normal is about twelve to twenty breaths in a minute. This is called eupnea. A person who breathes normally, at a rate of twelve breaths per minute and without any effort, is eupneic. From that number, we can classify the breath in: • • •
Tachypnea: more than 20 breaths in 1 minute Bradipnea: less than 12 breaths in a minute Dyspnea: breathing with effort or shortness of breath
Each of these respiratory types has specific causes that will be explained throughout this chapter. 89
