Counting the frequency of respiratory movements

Depending on the primary participation in respiratory movements( excursions) of the chest or abdomen, there are:

• chest type of respiration( mainly in women);

• Abdominal breathing( in men);

• mixed.

The main functions of the respiratory system are to provide the body with oxygen, which is necessary for the normal vital activity of all organs and tissues, and the elimination of carbon dioxide and water produced during the life cycle. The frequency, depth and rhythm of respiratory movements are regulated by the respiratory center and the cortex of the brain.

Irritation of the respiratory center and increased intensity of respiration are possible with an increase in blood levels of carbon dioxide and a decrease in the concentration of oxygen. This is observed with physical activity, emotional stress, and also with various diseases of the respiratory system, which are accompanied by difficulty in pulmonary ventilation( such as pneumonia, emphysema, pneumosclerosis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, etc.).Excess concentration of oxygen in the blood, which can be observed during hyperventilation or inhalation of pure oxygen, lead to the depression of the respiratory center and even to the cessation of breathing.

Watching the breath, you need to determine the frequency, depth, rhythm of respiratory movements and assess the type of breathing. Normally, respiratory movements are rhythmic.

The respiratory rate of the in an adult at rest is 16-20 per minute. In the prone position, the number of respiratory movements usually decreases to 14-16 per minute, and in the vertical position increases( 18-20 per minute).Surface breathing is usually observed at rest, with physical and emotional stress it is deeper.

To determine the frequency of respiratory movements, it is necessary to grasp the hand of the patient in the area of ​​the wrist joint with the fingers of the right hand. I finger is located on the back of the forearm, and II-V fingers feel the pulsating radial artery and press it to the radius bone. The other hand is placed on the chest( with the chest type of breathing) or on the epigastric region( with abdominal breathing).Count the number of breaths per minute. The data is recorded in the temperature sheet - the graph "Breath".