Red blood cells (RBCs) are a type of blood cell whose role is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the peripheral tissues of the body. Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli of the lungs into the RBCs, ...

Respiratory failure is a condition in which your lungs have a hard time loading your blood with oxygen or removing carbon dioxide. "Respiratory failure represents the respiratory system's inability to ...

A blood gas test measures oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. The test can also show blood pH levels and lung function. It is also called an arterial blood gas test or a blood gas analysis.

In acute respiratory failure, the usual exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the lungs does not occur. As a result, the heart, brain, and other organs cannot get enough oxygen. A person ...