Pathogenesis and Treatm ent o f Respiratory Failure

It is now recognized that acute respiratory failure, defined in terms of low arterial oxygen tension and/or C 0 2 retention, is usually a reversible syndrome. This is particularly true when respiratory failure occurs as a consequence of impaired ventilation secondary to central nervous system depression. The early recognition of respiratory failure by widespread utilization of arterial blood gas determination and the application of a systematic scheme of treatment has been responsible for salvaging over 75 percent of these patients. Proper man agement of these patients does require application of a number of laboratory measurements, the most valuable of which has been arterial blood gas deter mination