The ICU nurse notes a patient with massive head injuries has a pattern of breathing that shows rhythmic periods of changing rate and depth with brief periods of apnea. How would this be documented?

Prepare for the Physiological Adaptation Elevate Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Access detailed explanations and improve your understanding. Get exam-ready today!

Multiple Choice

The ICU nurse notes a patient with massive head injuries has a pattern of breathing that shows rhythmic periods of changing rate and depth with brief periods of apnea. How would this be documented?

Cheyne-Stokes breathing is the pattern here. It shows rhythmic cycles where the depth and rate of breathing gradually increase (or crescendo) and then decrease (or decrescendo), followed by a brief period of apnea. This cyclical pattern repeats and is commonly seen with brain injuries or severe CNS or cardiac conditions, fitting a patient with massive head injuries. Other patterns don’t match as well: apneusis features a prolonged inspiratory pause, not a regular crescendo–decrescendo cycle; ataxic (Biot) respiration is irregular and unpredictable in rate and depth with no pattern; cluster breathing occurs in groups of breaths followed by gaps.

Cheyne-Stokes breathing is the pattern here. It shows rhythmic cycles where the depth and rate of breathing gradually increase (or crescendo) and then decrease (or decrescendo), followed by a brief period of apnea. This cyclical pattern repeats and is commonly seen with brain injuries or severe CNS or cardiac conditions, fitting a patient with massive head injuries.

Other patterns don’t match as well: apneusis features a prolonged inspiratory pause, not a regular crescendo–decrescendo cycle; ataxic (Biot) respiration is irregular and unpredictable in rate and depth with no pattern; cluster breathing occurs in groups of breaths followed by gaps.

More practice questions