Respiratory & Pulmonary Care
Rely on the Holzer respiratory and pulmonary care team at Holzer Health System in the Southeastern Ohio River Valley to help relieve the clinical signs and symptoms of many lung-related diseases, including, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and more.
It is a common misconception that if your loved one has been put on a ventilator, they must be near death. This is not true. Ventilators are often used for support during medical procedures and in the event of a medical crisis. Respiratory therapy itself involves much more than the use of ventilators.
Most of the patients treated by Holzer's Respiratory Therapy Department have some type of pulmonary (lung related) disorder. These include chronic obstructive lung disease, emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and more. In addition, the department is often called upon to perform diagnostic pulmonary studies for patients who work in hazardous environments.
Respiratory therapy provides a means to relieve the clinical signs and symptoms of many pulmonary diseases. This includes improved oxygenation, improved ventilation, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disorders, and evaluation of the patient’s pulmonary system.
Respiratory Therapy Procedures Provided at Holzer Include:
- Applications and monitoring of the administration of medical gases
- Mechanical ventilatory support
- Artificial airway management
- Bronchopulmonary rehabilitation
- Cardiovascular support
Other Respiratory & Pulmonary Care Procedures Provided at Holzer Include:
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Smoking cessation
- Oxygen saturation determination and electrocardiograms studies
- Technical studies for the Neurology Lab
Common Questions
What is a pulmonary function (breathing) test?
A pulmonary function test evaluates your lung volumes, lung flows, and response to breathing treatments. The test takes approximately one hour. If you are able, please do not use your inhaler for 4 hours prior to testing.
Do I have to schedule an appointment time for an EKG?
No. EKG test are available 24 hours a day.
How will my doctor receive my test results?
We will gladly mail and/or fax your results to your doctor.
What are the side effects from the medicine being delivered?
You may feel a little tremble or shaky feeling after the treatment. This should leave in about 10-15 minutes.
Will the arterial blood gas procedures hurt?
The blood gas procedure does require a needle puncture, but the patient should not experience much more pain than a normal venous puncture by the lab. On a rare occasion, the needle may touch a nerve, resulting in some additional discomfort.
What does a respirator do?
The respirator provides the patient with a normal exchange of air/oxygen gas to sustain life. The therapist can control the amount of air/oxygen delivered and how often the gas is delivered. This is a life support device and very important to the patients care.
When my loved one is put on a ventilator, are they near death?
Certainly not, on many occasions the ventilator is simply for support during a medical crisis. The majority of the patients ventilated are successfully weaned from the respirator.
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