Revista española de geriatría y gerontología
-
Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol · Jul 2016
[Non-invasive ventilation in 'do-not-intubate' patients in a chronic disease hospital. One year follow-up study].
Elderly patients with multiple morbidity and do not intubate (DNI) orders frequently present with acute respiratory failure. There are data supporting the effectiveness of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in this context. Our chronic disease hospital developed an integrated care clinical pathway for the use of NIV in acute respiratory failure in the emergency room and wards in 2010. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of NIV in patients with acute respiratory failure who had a DNI order in a sub-acute care hospital. ⋯ NIV is a useful technique in a hospital for chronic patients in an elderly population with a therapeutic ceiling. Despite their disease severity and comorbidity, acceptable survival rates are achieved. A correct case selection is needed. Obesity hypoventilation syndrome and those with Barthel index >50 have a better prognosis.