UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Critical Care

Title: Ventilator Therapy in ED Patients with ARDS

Keywords: PEEP, mechanical ventilation, ARDS (PubMed Search)

Posted: 10/28/2008 by Mike Winters, MD (Updated: 4/1/2023)
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Ventilator Therapy for ED Patients with ARDS

As we manage critically ill patients for longer periods of time, it is likely that many of us will manage patients who develop ARDS
Current mortality for patients with ARDS ranges from 30-40%
ED treatment for patients with ARDS includes treating the inciting event, supportive critical care, and ventilator management
Current ventilator management in patients with ARDS includes:
- avoiding alveolar overdistention (tidal volumes of 6 ml/kg)
- maintaining F_iO₂ < 60% (mitigates oxygen toxicitty)
- PEEP to prevent alveolar derecruitment (levels of 10-15 cm H₂O)
- permissive hypercapnea