Merriam Webster dictionary describes air hunger as “a sensation of not being able to breathe in sufficient air or of needing to breathe in more air that typically results in deep, rapid, labored breathing.” An article published in Harvard Medicine News explains how certain ventilation and medication practices, for patients suffering from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19, can avoid psychological trauma that is associated with mechanical ventilation. However, there are certain outdated ventilation practices that may lead to trauma in patients who suffer from air hunger.
Majority of the patients who have been severely affected by COVID-19 will require mechanical ventilation. While this is essential to protect the lung and keep the patient alive, it is also the “recipe” for air hunger. According to a study published in ATS Journals “prolonged air hunger evokes fear and anxiety, so much so that involuntary air hunger has been used a very effective form of torture (eg. Waterboarding). Among ICU survivors, the experience of air hunger is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
In order to reduce air hunger, neuromuscular blockade which causes paralysis is used. However, it has been proven that paralysis does not reduce air hunger. Rather, it only makes the problem worse as the patient is no longer able to communicate their discomfort. Other pharmacological agents like benzodiazepines have been tested. Evidence shows that thy can exacerbate psychological trauma.
An easy solution to this problem is opiates. Their mechanism of action for reducing air hunger is similar to that of reducing pain. Studies have shown that even low doses of opiates can significantly relieve air hunger, thus providing an effective solution to the problem.
By: Sanya Bansal