Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Dec 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialContinuous positive airway pressure facilitates spontaneous breathing in weaning chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients by improving breathing pattern and gas exchange.
To elucidate the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on breathing pattern, gas exchange and the ability to sustain spontaneous breathing (SB) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with dynamic hyperinflation. ⋯ CPAP helps severely ill COPD patients sustain SB. Apparently it does so by promoting slower, deeper breathing and thus facilitating carbon dioxide elimination.