Why Does My Cat Bite A Blanket And Moan

Respiration is the act by which the body carries out gas exchange with the environment. The respiratory rate (RR) is one of the most sensitive but nonspecific parameters of the respiratory system, which measures the amount of breaths per minute.

The respiratory cycle is divided into two phases, the increase in inspiratory lung volume and output of this volume or expiration.

breathing patterns

A person can find two breathing patterns:

• Thoracic Breathing: It outwardly manifested by chest movement, by the external intercostal muscles and other accessories.




• Abdominal Breathing: Externally there is an abdominal movement, which involved the diaphragm.

Features Respiration

We must bear in mind when assessing respiratory rate, the following characteristics:

• Frequency: is the number of breaths per minute the patient presents, intervals between them.




• Depth: Refers to the volume of air that moves with every breath.




• Rate: Refers to the time of the inspirations and expirations, can be regular or irregular.

Determination of Respiratory Frequency

The determination is to specify the number of breaths that occur at the end of a minute, watching the person's chest to assess the depth of their movements.

To control your breathing, you must have respiratory movements (inspiration and expiration) as a single breath.

The most widely used method for controlling the respiratory rate is through observation and palpation. although intensive care services and where you need extreme precision monitoring and is performed by mechanical ventilation and ECG cable.

Factors that alter the values \u200b\u200bof the FR

• Exercise
Sexual Activity Age
• Fever Bleeding

Reference Values

Alterations in Respiration

• Bradypnea : The FR is less than 10 resp. per minute.


• Tachypnea: The FR is more than 20 resp. per minute. It may have episodes of anxiety, infections and pain.

Nursing Considerations

• Where possible we must ensure that the person will not notice the measurement, because if it led to a state of anxiety, scores will be altered.


• The measurement is made by simple observation, but if respiratory movements are barely perceptible, one must obtain by auscultation with a stethoscope.