UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Diaphragm weakness and its significance

Category: Critical Care

Keywords: diaphragm weakness, respiratory failure (PubMed Search)

Posted: 1/13/2015 by Feras Khan, MD
Click here to contact Feras Khan, MD

Diaphragm weakness and its significance

Acute respiratory failure is partially due to respiratory muscles inability to meet the demands of respiration that is strained by a medical condition
Ventilation can have an adverse effect on respiratory muscles even after just 5-6 days (atrophy)

There are several ways to monitor diaphragm strength and function

Clinical Relevance

Goal is to use these devices to limit the development of respiratory muscle atrophy because of disuse
Prevent "overassist" from the ventilator
Potential use in weaning trials to evaluate for respiratory muscle performance
This is a new area of intensive care research that could lead to improvements in outcomes

Curr Opin Crit Care. 2015 Feb;21(1):34-41. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0000000000000168.

Monitoring and preventing diaphragm injury.

Heunks LM¹, Doorduin J, van der Hoeven JG.