¶How to tell a terminal caner patient’s breath is too slow

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If you are caring for a terminal cancer patient and are concerned about changes in their breathing pattern, such as their breath becoming too slow, it's important to approach this situation with care and understanding. A significantly slow breathing rate, known as bradypnea, might indicate a serious decline in the patient's condition, especially in the context of terminal illness.

Here's how to tell if a terminal cancer patient's breath is too slow and what steps you might consider taking:

• Observing Breathing Patterns
  • Count the Breaths: Normal breathing rates for adults range from about 12 to 20 breaths per minute. If you notice the patient's breathing rate falls below this range, it could be considered slow. Count the number of breaths in one minute to get an accurate measurement.
• Look for Other Symptoms: Alongside slow breathing, observe for symptoms like increased difficulty breathing, changes in skin color (pallor or blueness, particularly around the lips and fingertips), altered levels of consciousness, or inability to communicate. These symptoms can indicate a need for immediate medical evaluation.
• Use of Pulse Oximeter: A pulse oximeter can be a non-invasive way to monitor oxygen saturation levels alongside breathing rate. While it primarily measures the oxygen levels in the blood, it can also display the heart rate, and some models might provide respiratory rate. Low oxygen saturation alongside slow breathing can be concerning.

What is this meant? A terminal cancer patient used to do 8 breadth a minute and now is doing 18 breadth a minute?

A change in breathing rate, especially an increase from 8 breaths per minute to 18 breaths per minute, can signify several things in the context of a terminal cancer patient. This change may indicate:

• Increased Work of Breathing: The patient may be experiencing an increased work of breathing due to the cancer's progression, complications such as a lung infection, or fluid buildup in or around the lungs (pleural effusion). This requires the patient to breathe more rapidly to meet the oxygen needs of the body.
• Anxiety or Pain: Increased breathing rate can also be a response to pain or anxiety. Patients with terminal cancer often experience both physical and emotional distress.
• Hypoxemia: A lower oxygen level in the blood (hypoxemia) can cause an increased breathing rate as the body attempts to take in more oxygen. This could be due to lung involvement by the cancer or other respiratory complications.
• Systemic Response: As the body tries to compensate for various systemic issues, such as metabolic acidosis (where the body produces too much acid or the kidneys are not removing enough acid from the body), the breathing rate can increase. This is the body's attempt to expel more carbon dioxide to balance the pH level of the blood.
• End-of-Life Symptoms: In the final stages of life, changes in breathing patterns are common. Rapid breathing can be part of the body's natural process as it nears the end of life, often followed by periods of very slow breathing or apnea (temporary cessation of breathing).
• It's important for caregivers and healthcare providers to monitor these changes closely and provide appropriate interventions to manage symptoms and ensure the patient's comfort. This might include administering oxygen, medications for pain and anxiety, or other palliative measures designed to ease breathing difficulties and improve the quality of life in their remaining time.