• E F Christensen and L Schlünzen.
• Anaestesiologisk afdeling, Arhus Kommunehospital, Arhus Universitetshospital.
• Ugeskr. Laeg. 1998 Aug 31;160(36):5167-70.

AbstractChronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) is a common disease and cause of death. At an advanced stage, acute respiratory failure will repeatedly arise and mechanical ventilation may be the only solution. The best result of treatment is a return to the habitual condition. In this article a survey is presented regarding the course and survival following mechanical ventilation of acute exacerbation of COLD. Survival rate after mechanical ventilation was 50-70% compared to a survival rate of 75-95% in patients not mechanically ventilated. Mechanical ventilation influenced factors were taken into consideration. The severity of baseline COLD and comorbidity had significant influence on survival. These factors together with the quality of nursing were predictors of successful ventilator weaning. Knowledge of the patient before the need for mechanical ventilation arises is of decisive importance.

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