Causes And Complications Of Bradypnea

Chronic fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and confusion are some of the symptoms of bradypnea, which is a condition where an individual has a slow breathing rate not considered normal. A normal resting breathing rate for adults is between twelve to twenty breaths per minute. Patients with bradypnea have less than twelve breaths per minute while at rest. Individuals can be affected while asleep or awake. Bradypnea is often a result of other health conditions. This article explores the causes and complications associated with bradypnea.

Exposure To Toxins

Exposure to toxins, such as sodium azide, may cause bradypnea. When this solid, odorless chemical mixes with acid, water, or a solid metal it becomes a toxic gas, which can cause respiratory issues such as bradypnea. The most common use of sodium azide is in airbags, but it is also used in hospitals, labs, and for pest control on farms. Another toxin that may cause bradypnea is carbon monoxide. The overuse of opioids can also significantly decrease a person’s respiratory function. Toxins and opioids can slow down or block electrical signals in the heart, thus affecting respiratory and cardiac functions, which can result in bradypnea.

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Hypothyroidism

To understand hypothyroidism and how it can cause bradypnea, one must understand the function of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is responsible for keeping thyroid hormones, which regulate an individual's metabolic rate, in the body balanced. Metabolism turns what an individual eats into energy. This process affects weight, heart rates, and respiratory function, among other bodily functions. Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid, which means it is not adequately producing thyroid hormones. As a result, it may cause abnormally slow breathing. It does this by weakening the muscles that control breathing, which in turn affect the lungs.

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Head Injury

As the control center for the body, a head injury can cause many health issues, including bradypnea. An injury to the brain stem, in particular, can cause bradypnea. The brain stem is comprised of three sections, the medulla oblongata, midbrain, and the pons. The medulla oblongata is what regulates breathing and heart rate. Specifically, it identifies how much oxygen and carbon monoxide are in the body and then sends a signal to the lungs, heart, and diaphragm, which tells those organs to breath more or less depending on the levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide in the body. If the medulla oblongata is damaged enough, this signal is affected and can lead to bradypnea.

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Hypoxemia

Hypoxemia is the abnormally low level of oxygen in the body. It may be sometimes be used synonymously with hypoxia, which is a low level of oxygen in the body’s tissues. The body’s cells and tissues need oxygen to perform vital functions. The lungs need oxygen to function and carry oxygen throughout the body so it can function normally. Having an abnormally low level of oxygen in the body will ultimately affect respiratory function. Conditions such as bradypnea cause hypoxemia, which should be treated immediately as the body will need oxygen treatment to resume normal function.

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Respiratory Acidosis

Respiratory acidosis affects pulmonary function. Specifically, it occurs when the lungs are not able to remove enough of the carbon dioxide the body produces. Having too much carbon dioxide in the body causes bodily fluids and the pH of the blood to decrease. In turn, this makes fluids and blood too acidic. Bradypnea or the underlying health condition that causes bradypnea can actually cause respiratory acidosis, making it a related condition but not a cause of bradypnea. The lungs are responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the body, and it t is the condition or disease affecting the lungs that cause respiratory acidosis. Those conditions or diseases can be an underlying cause of bradypnea.