American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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As many as half of critically ill patients require mechanical ventilation. In this article, a program of research focused on reduction of risk associated with mechanical ventilation is reviewed. Airway management practices can have profound effects on outcomes in these patients. ⋯ The overall goals of sedation are to provide physiological stability, to maintain ventilator synchrony, and to ensure patients' comfort-although methods to evaluate achievement of these goals are limited. Reducing risks associated with mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients is a complex and interdisciplinary process. Our understanding of the risks associated with mechanical ventilation is constantly changing, but care of these patients must be based on the best evidence.