Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Open Access

Mechanical ventilation is also called positive pressure ventilation. Following an inspiratory trigger, a predetermined mixture of oxygen is forced into the central airways and then flows into the alveoli. As the intra alveolar pressure increases, termination signal eventually causes the ventilator to stop pumping air into the central airways and the central airway pressure decreases. Expiration follows passively, with air flowing from the higher pressure alveoli to the lower pressure central airways.

Mechanical ventilators are set to deliver a constant volume (volume cycled), a constant pressure (pressure cycled), or a combination of both with each breath. Modes of ventilation that maintain a minimum respiratory rate regardless of whether or not the patient initiates a spontaneous breath are referred to as assist-control (A/C). Because pressures and volumes are directly linked by the pressure-volume curve, any given volume will correspond to a specific pressure, and vice versa, regardless of whether the ventilator is pressure or volume cycled.

Adjustable ventilator settings differ with mode but include respiratory rate, tidal volume, trigger sensitivity, flow rate, waveform, and inspiratory/expiratory (I/E) ratio.

Related Journals of Mechanical Ventilation

International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Journal of Physiotherapy & Physical Rehabilitation, International Journal of Ventilation, Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery, Clinical Medicine: Circulatory, Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine, Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.