Resp Care
-
The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature related to invasive mechanical ventilation, NIV, pediatric mechanical ventilation, and aerosol therapy. Topics covered related to invasive mechanical ventilation topics include the role of PEEP in providing lung protection during mechanical ventilation, unconventional modes for severe hypoxemia, and strategies to improve patient-ventilator interactions. ⋯ Topics covered related to aerosol therapy include short-acting β-adrenergic agents, long-acting β-adrenergic agents, long-acting antimuscarinic agents, inhaled corticosteroid therapy, phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitors, long-acting β-adrenergic plus inhaled corticosteroid, long-acting antimuscarinic plus inhaled corticosteroid, nebulized hypertonic saline, inhaled mannitol, and inhaled antibiotic therapy. These topics were chosen and reviewed in a manner that is most likely to have interest to the readers of Respiratory Care.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Higher PEEP in patients with acute lung injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Studies of ventilation strategies that included higher PEEP in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have yielded conflicting results. ⋯ In 4 recent studies that used volume-limited or pressure-limited ventilation in ALI/ARDS patients, higher PEEP was not associated with significantly different short-term mortality or barotrauma. This study does not support the routine use of higher PEEP in patients with ALI/ARDS.
-
The American Association for Respiratory Care established a task force in late 2007 to identify likely new roles and responsibilities of respiratory therapists (RTs) in the year 2015 and beyond. A series of 3 conferences was held between 2008 and 2010. The first task force conference affirmed that the healthcare system is in the process of dramatic change, driven by the need to improve health while decreasing costs and improving quality. ⋯ Also accepted was the recommendation that the Certified Respiratory Therapist examination be retired, and instead, passing of the Registered Respiratory Therapist examination will be required for beginning clinical practice. A date of 2020 for achieving these changes was proposed, debated, and accepted. Recommendations were approved requesting resources be provided to help RT education programs, existing RT workforce, and state societies work through the issues raised by these changes.
-
The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature related to asthma, COPD, pulmonary function testing, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Topics covered related to asthma include genetics and epigenetics; exposures; viruses; diet, obesity and exercise; exhaled nitric oxide; and drug therapy (β agonists, macrolides, tiotropium and monteleukast). ⋯ Finally, the paper includes the following topics related to ventilator-associated pneumonia: the tube, the intubation route, and the cuff; mechanical ventilation; the bundle; and cost. These topics were chosen and reviewed in a manner that is most likely to have interest to the readers of Respiratory Care.
-
Mechanical ventilation has, since its introduction into clinical practice, undergone a major evolution from controlled ventilation to various modes of assisted ventilation. Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) is the newest development. The implementation of NAVA requires the introduction of a catheter to measure the electrical activity of the diaphragm (EA(di)). ⋯ With NAVA, the reliance on the EA(di) signal, together with an intact ventilatory drive and intact breathing reflexes, allows integration of the ventilator in the neuro-ventilatory coupling on a higher level than conventional ventilation modes. The simple monitoring of the EA(di) signal alone may provide the clinician with important information to guide ventilator management, especially during the weaning process. Although, until now, little evidence proves the superiority of NAVA on clinically relevant end points, it seems evident that patient populations (eg, COPD and small children) with major patient-ventilator asynchrony may benefit from this new ventilatory tool.