Health devices
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Intensive care ventilators provide temporary ventilatory support to critically ill patients who cannot breathe on their own or who require assistance to maintain adequate ventilation. These ventilators offer a wide range of capabilities and can meet the needs of many types of patients. We last evaluated intensive care ventilators for adult use in our July-August 2000 issue. ⋯ Several units have added new features and capabilities since we last examined them. As a result, we have rated them higher in this study. Conversely, a few models have been given lower ratings because they haven't kept up with the advances in the technology; although they perform adequately, we can no longer recommend their purchase because better choices are available.