13th January 2024

An 84-year-old ex-teacher is admitted with a decompensation of her heart failure.

An 84-year-old ex-teacher is admitted with a decompensation of her heart failure. She is initiated on management and is admitted to the ward. You are called to assess her at night as the nurses are concerned about her breathing pattern. She breathes in a cycle of crescendo-decrescendo breathing followed by a short pause in ventilation, followed by a crescendo-decrescendo pattern. She doesn’t snore.

How would you best describe the pattern of breathing?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.