Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · May 1997
Clinical TrialElastic work of breathing during continuous positive airway pressure in intubated patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (theoretical analysis and experimental validation).
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is known to decrease inspiratory work of breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This effect is primarily attributed to a reduction in inspiratory elastic work of breathing (Wi,el) related to a decrease in intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). ⋯ This study indicates that in order to reduce Wi,el in patients with COPD, intrinsic PEEP should be measured and the CPAP-level adjusted to the intrinsic PEEP-level.