2. Conditions Requiring Artificial Respiration

The need for artificial respiration arises from various medical emergencies that compromise or halt the body’s ability to breathe. Prompt intervention in these situations is critical to prevent fatal outcomes.

Key Scenarios:

• Drowning: Water filling the lungs obstructs oxygen intake, necessitating external air provision to restore breathing.
• Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest: A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, which in turn causes breathing to stop. A combination of chest compressions and artificial respiration is essential to support both circulation and oxygenation.
• Electric Shock: High-voltage electricity can disrupt the heart’s rhythm and affect the brain’s respiratory control center, causing breathing to cease.
• Poisoning: Inhalation of toxic gases like carbon monoxide or drug overdoses can depress the central nervous system and lead to respiratory failure.
• Brain Injury: Traumatic head injuries or strokes can damage the parts of the brain that regulate breathing.
• Severe Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis): Anaphylaxis can cause severe swelling of the airways, leading to obstruction and respiratory arrest.
• Foreign Body Obstruction: If an object completely blocks the airway and cannot be cleared by methods like the Heimlich maneuver, breathing will stop, and artificial respiration may be required after the obstruction is removed.