Two other serious airway diseases you may encounter are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Collectively these are called COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Both of these diseases are linked directly to cigarette smoking and exposure to environmental toxins. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are long-term diseases that periodically flare up and cause acute breathing problems. Emphysema is a disease which reduces the elasticity in the lining of the lungs and makes it difficult for the patient to exhale. For the emphysemic patient, exhaling is no longer a passive process as it is in a healthy patient. Chronic bronchitis is the long-term inflammation of the lower airway, which reduces the efficacy of gas exchange in this area. These diseases can lead to devastating consequences. Your treatment should focus on getting help quickly, calming the patient and assisting their breathing with rescue breaths, if necessary.

When someone sustains an injury to their mouth or nose that prevents them from breathing normally, they may have a stoma with which to breathe through. A stoma is a surgically implanted opening in the front of their neck, just below the thyroid. This new "airway" may be permanent or temporary and disconnects their larynx (voice box) from their trachea. This leaves the person without the ability to speak normally. If such a person requires rescue breathing, mouth-to-stoma ventilations are required. The nose and mouth of the patient with a stoma will have to be pinched shut during ventilations to assure air goes into their lungs. Proceed with rescue breaths, one every five seconds.

If you need to provide ventilations to a patient with dentures, it is best to leave the dentures in place. Complete dentures give the face shape and will make it easier to get an airtight seal. Under normal circumstances, partial dentures should be left in place as well. The only time dental appliances should be removed is when they become dislodged and present a potential airway obstruction.

A normal, healthy individual breathes 12-20 times per minute. Breathing should be silent and effortless. If, upon assessing your patient, you notice very slow, very rapid, irregular, noisy or absent breathing you will need to provide medical help. Rescue breaths, once every 5 seconds, assists the patient by providing much needed oxygen. Difficulty breathing occurs for a variety of reasons, but your treatment will be the same; 911, ABC's, provide rescue breaths, if necessary & treat the underlying problem when you can.