respiratory failure: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “respiratory failure” mean?
A serious medical condition in which the respiratory system fails in its gas exchange function, resulting in low oxygen levels (hypoxemia) and/or high carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia) in the blood.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A serious medical condition in which the respiratory system fails in its gas exchange function, resulting in low oxygen levels (hypoxemia) and/or high carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia) in the blood.
In a broader clinical context, it refers to the inability of the respiratory system to maintain adequate oxygenation and/or ventilation, which can be acute or chronic, and may be classified as hypoxemic (type I) or hypercapnic (type II) failure. It is a life-threatening syndrome, not a specific disease.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling and terminology within definitions may follow national conventions (e.g., 'arterial blood gases' vs. 'arterial blood gasses' is not standard; both use 'gases').
Connotations
Identical in medical seriousness. The phrase is purely clinical in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally common in medical contexts in both regions. Layperson usage is rare and typically indirect (e.g., 'suffering from respiratory failure').
Grammar
How to Use “respiratory failure” in a Sentence
Patient + develop + respiratory failureCondition + cause + respiratory failureTo be + in + respiratory failureTo progress + to + respiratory failureTo be admitted + with + respiratory failureVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “respiratory failure” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The patient was transferred to ITU with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.
- Pneumonia is a common precipitant of respiratory failure in the elderly.
American English
- The ARDS protocol is initiated for hypoxemic respiratory failure.
- Management of respiratory failure often requires mechanical ventilation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Central term in medical, nursing, and physiology literature. Used in case studies, pathophysiology descriptions, and clinical trial criteria.
Everyday
Very rare. If used, typically in personal health narratives of severe illness.
Technical
Core term in clinical notes, diagnoses, medical textbooks, and critical care discussions. Precisely defined with arterial blood gas (ABG) parameters.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “respiratory failure”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “respiratory failure”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “respiratory failure”
- Using it as an adjective (*respiratory failure patient). Correct: 'patient *with* respiratory failure'. Confusing it with 'respiratory distress' (a less severe precursor). Misspelling 'respiratory'. Using it for non-medical contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Respiratory failure is a syndrome of inadequate gas exchange. Respiratory arrest is the complete cessation of breathing, which is a more immediate, terminal event often following untreated failure.
Yes. A patient may be breathing (sometimes even rapidly and laboriously) but the gas exchange process is insufficient, meaning oxygen isn't entering the blood adequately and/or carbon dioxide isn't being removed.
Type I (hypoxemic) is low oxygen (PaO2 < 60 mmHg) with normal or low CO2. It's often due to lung parenchyma problems (e.g., pneumonia, ARDS). Type II (hypercapnic) is low oxygen with high CO2 (PaCO2 > 50 mmHg), often due to inadequate alveolar ventilation (e.g., COPD exacerbation, drug overdose).
It is neither a specific disease nor a simple symptom. It is a 'syndrome' or 'clinical state' that results from many different underlying diseases or injuries affecting the lungs, muscles, nerves, or brain.
A serious medical condition in which the respiratory system fails in its gas exchange function, resulting in low oxygen levels (hypoxemia) and/or high carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia) in the blood.
Respiratory failure is usually technical/medical in register.
Respiratory failure: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɛsp(ə)rət(ə)ri ˈfeɪljə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɛspərəˌtɔːri ˈfeɪljər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On the verge of respiratory failure (clinical idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RESPIRATORY = breathing system; FAILURE = it's not working. The 'factory' (lungs) for air-gas exchange has shut down.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY AS A MACHINE / THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AS A PUMP AND EXCHANGER. Failure is the machine breaking down.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes 'hypercapnic respiratory failure' (Type II)?