Apnea

The apnea indicates the stop of ventilation (Greek pnein , to breathe, and the privative prefix has ). One also speaks about respiratory stop or ventilatory stop .

Involuntary apnea

The stop of involuntary breathing can have several causes:

  • cardiac arrest: it is the most frequent cause of spontaneous respiratory stop in the adult;
  • respiratory depression by action of a toxic (for example the morphine Opiated S and derivatives ) or at the time of a Anesthesia;
  • consecutive apnea reflex with the penetration of Water in the air Routes (Drowning);
  • obstruction of the air routes:
    • by a foreign body (piece of too large food, object carried to the mouth by a child),
    • by a fabric of the higher respiratory tracts (language, soft metal disc).

To recognize a ventilatory stop

In the case of an obstruction by a foreign body, the victim is initially conscious and thrown into a panic, it tries to breathe but does not arrive there. One hears no sound, neither cry, nor rail. If one does not carry out a urgent removal of obstructions air routes (slaps in the back, Méthode of Heimlich, Méthode of Mofenson), the victim falls unconscious. One finds oneself then in the preceding case.

In the other cases, the victim of an apnea loses conscience, it does not move and does not answer when it is requested; one notes no ventilatory movement, one does not feel no outgoing breath of the nose nor of the mouth in spite of a Libération of the air routes (see the detailed article Bilan (first aid)).

To act vis-a-vis a ventilatory stop

In the event of ventilatory stop, it is necessary to prevent the helps urgently. Then, while waiting for their arrival, it is necessary to practice a artificial Ventilation, in order to bring air to the lungs. If the person does not react to blowings (not of Toux, not of movement), it is that the person is also in cardiac arrest; it is then necessary to associate thoracic compressions with blowings: it is the cardiopulmonary Réanimation.

When the victim is a child of less than eight years, or that the person is victim of a smothering, a drowning or a Intoxication (Gaz, Médicament, alcohol, Drogue…), one practices the cardiopulmonary reanimation one minute before going to prevent the helps: the fast contribution of air can improve the state of the person, contrary to the spontaneous stop where only an rapid intervention of the helps makes it possible to save the person (in particular semi-automatic Défibrillation). H-M

Voluntary apnea

The voluntary apnea can be used to protect the air routes against a not-respirable medium:

  • pollutant gas (emergency intervention in a poisoned medium or a smoke, for example for a emergency Release)
  • water: accidental immersion (falls in water) or volunteer (to swim, to plunge).

French Apneists

See too

Related articles

apnea

External bonds

  • intrabronchic Inhalation: look at! , an article of the General practitioner n°2232, January 17th 2003 (document pdf, 1p)
  • Spirit Apnea Records, forum, file, list of the champions
  • French federation of Studies and Sports Underwater National Commission of Apnea
  • " Dangers of the apnea… or why such an amount of of died since Large Bleu"

Random links:Auguste Bigand | A piece of my future | Arhynchobatidae | Caroline Winberg | S.O.S Villages of Children