Nursing times
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The British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines for noninvasive ventilation (NIV) provide overwhelming evidence that NIV is effective in supporting patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF) (BTS, 2002). AHRF, which causes a rise in carbon dioxide levels and a fall in pH, is common in patients presenting with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). NIV is also beneficial to patients with chest wall deformity and neuromuscular diseases.
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was identified as a new infectious disease in Asia early in 2003. Since then an unprecedented global public health response has been mounted. This article describes current knowledge of the infection and outlines the management of SARS in the UK.