Respiratory Complications Related to Neurological Diseases in Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Respiration in mammals is the primal homeostatic process regulating levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body that is critical for life. Normal body requirements are provided by normal tidal ventilation that is about (4–8ml/kg). Body has its own mechanism to supply extra ventilation when required e.g. exercise. Residual volume with expiratory reserve volume is called functional residual capacity. Neurological insults could result from vascular occlusion secondary to thromboembolic disease. Ischemia causes cell hypoxia and depletion of cellular adenosine triphosphate. Without adenosine triphosphate, the energy to maintain ionic gradients across the cell membrane and cell depolarization is lost. As a result, Influx of sodium and calcium ions and passive inflow of water into the cell lead to cytotoxic edema. Bulbar palsy is the result of diseases affecting the lower cranial nerves (VII-XII). Bulbar palsy is sometimes also classified as non-progressive or progressive. Progressive bulbar palsy can occur in children or adults and form a spectrum of severity based around the common feature of bulbar dysfunction and motor neuron degeneration.