A patient being ventilated with APRV has the following settings: pʜɪɢʜ = 24 cm H₂O; T_high = 5 sec; P_low = 4 cm H₂O; T_low = 1 second,FɪO₂ = 0.3.The patient's spontaneous respiratory rate is 10 breaths/min.The current arterial blood gas values are: P_aO₂ = 91 mm Hg; P_aCO₂= 62 mm Hg.What should the respiratory therapist recommend for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To decrease the P_aCO₂,the pʜɪɢʜ/pʟᴏᴡ gradient needs to be increased without increasing the pʜɪɢʜ above 35 cm H₂O.Decreasing the pʟᴏᴡ to 0 cm H₂O is one way to increase that gradient.Increasing the pʟᴏᴡ would decrease the gradient and therefore the Vᴛ.Although raising the pʜɪɢʜ would increase the pressure gradient and therefore the Vᴛ,pressures above 35 cm H₂O increase the risk of overdistention injury.

A Patient Being Ventilated with APRV Has the Following Settings