Biot's vs. Agonal.

[dacrowley]

I gather that the term agonal, if used correctly, is restricted to the breathing just prior to or following clinical death.

That said, both agonal and biot's are characterized by irregular gasping beath patterns, and biot's is also a sign of likely impending death without immediate (usually surgical) intervention.

So my question is, if agonal is not biot's what does the breathing pattern for agonal look like in comparison to biot's? Or are they the same?:unsure:

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

Agonal respirations are just that agonal without any pattern

Biots are patterned respirations with periods of irregular respirations

 

[dacrowley]

Biots are patterned respirations with periods of irregular respirations

So the difference is biot's will eventually revert to eupneic breathing for a time whereas agonal will degenerate into apnea? But as far as the irregularity itself are there notable differences as far as rate, depth of respiration etc?

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

Agonal respirations are completely random. They may or may not bring in any tidal volume AKA guppy breathing. Biots thats not the case, its just a pattern irregularity

 

[dacrowley]

Ah, thanks. Biot's/ataxic breathing had been described to me as looking like:

Doing a little more research it became clear what you were saying that it in fact is more along the lines of