Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

3 Airway and Breathing

Respiratory Illness When the patient is having difficulty breathing and there is no MOI to suspect trauma or inhalation injury, it is most likely due to an illness.

Signs of inhalation injury include: • Signs of difficult or ineffective breathing. • Sore throat, coughing, trouble swallowing. • Difficulty talking, hoarseness. • Thermal or chemical burns to the face. • Burnt or singed hair on the face or head. • Chemical or smoke smell on breath.

Illnesses that can cause difficulty breathing include:

If the patient has a history of illness, then determine if the patient has medication for their condition. In the case of asthma or allergies, you may be able to assist the patient with their medication. Refer to the section on each for specific care for these conditions. • Asthma and Allergies • Pneumonia • Emphysema – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • Congestive heart failure • Anemia

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