UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Mechanical Ventilation "Knobology" - respiratory failure

Category: Critical Care

Keywords: mechanical ventilation, assist control, SIMV, pressure support (PubMed Search)

Posted: 7/17/2007 by Mike Winters, MBA, MD (Updated: 11/22/2024)
Click here to contact Mike Winters, MBA, MD

-One of the most common reasons for intubation/mechanical ventilation in the ED is patient fatigue -Essentially, patients are unable to keep up with the work of breathing -Patient work of breathing can be significant in CPAP, SIMV, and Pressure Support modes of mechanical ventilation -Avoid these as initial modes if your patient has respiratory fatigue