Respiratory rate

Respiratory rate refers to the number of breaths a person takes per minute. It's one of the vital signs – along with temperature, blood pressure, and pulse rate – routinely measured to assess a person's basic bodily functions.

Robust Tracking of Respiratory Rate

Normal Values[edit | edit source]

The normal range for an adult at rest is typically 12 to 20 breaths per minute. However, this rate can vary depending on a variety of factors, such as age, fitness level, and health status. For example:
Infants typically have a higher respiratory rate, ranging from 30 to 60 breaths per minute.
Children's respiratory rates gradually decrease with age, with a range of about 20-30 breaths per minute.
Older adults might have slightly higher respiratory rates than younger adults.

Assessment[edit | edit source]

The respiratory rate is usually measured when a person is at rest and involves counting the number of breaths for one minute by counting how many times the chest rises.

Significance[edit | edit source]

Changes in respiratory rate can indicate health issues. An abnormally high rate (tachypnea) could be a symptom of respiratory distress, infection, metabolic acidosis, or other conditions. An abnormally low rate (bradypnea) could be a sign of sedative use, metabolic disorders, or other medical conditions.

References[edit | edit source]

"Vital Signs". U.S. National Library of Medicine.
"Respiratory Rate and Breathing". Stanford Children's Health.
"How to Measure and Record Vital Signs". Johns Hopkins Medicine.

External Links[edit | edit source]

Respiratory Rate - MedlinePlus Assessing Respiratory Rate - World Health Organization

Respiratory rate Resources
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