Respiratory care
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Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) is a commonly used mode of ventilation designed to increase mean airway pressure and thus oxygenation. Different strategies for clinical management have been described in the literature but are largely based on physiologic concepts, animal data, and small clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to determine how APRV is currently managed by surveying practicing respiratory therapists with experience using APRV. ⋯ There is only limited consensus among practitioners for initial APRV settings, probably reflecting the paucity of good clinical outcome data and confusion surrounding the physiology of this mode.
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Observational Study
Lung Injury Etiology and Other Factors Influencing the Relationship Between Dead-Space Fraction and Mortality in ARDS.
In ARDS, elevated pulmonary dead-space fraction (VD/VT) is a particularly strong indicator of mortality risk. Whether the magnitude of VD/VT is modified by the underlying etiology of ARDS and whether this influences the strength of its association with mortality remains unknown. We sought to elucidate the impact of ARDS etiology on VD/VT and also to determine whether ARDS severity, as classified by the Berlin definition, has correspondence with changes in VD/VT. ⋯ VD/VT magnitude varies by ARDS etiology, as does mortality. Only in mild ARDS does VD/VT fail to distinguish non-survivors from survivors. Nonetheless, VD/VT has the strongest association with mortality risk in those with ARDS.
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The delivery of aerosols to mechanically ventilated patients presents unique challenges and differs from inhaled drug delivery in spontaneously breathing patients in several respects. Successful aerosol delivery during invasive mechanical ventilation requires careful consideration of a host of factors that influence the amount of drug inhaled by the patient. ⋯ The goals of inhalation therapy during mechanical ventilation could be best achieved by (1) assuring drug delivery; (2) optimizing drug deposition in the lung; (3) providing consistent dosing; (4) avoiding inappropriate therapies; (5) achieving reproducible dosing; (6) employing clinically feasible methods; (7) enhancing the safety of inhaled drugs; and (8) controlling costs of aerosol therapy. The techniques of administration of aerosols with various delivery devices during mechanical ventilation are well known, but there continues to be significant variation in clinical practice and guidelines are needed to provide best practices for a wide range of clinical settings encountered in mechanically ventilated patients.