Approximately what level of pressure support is required to overcome the work of breathing imposed by an 8-mm endotracheal tube in a patient with a spontaneous minute ventilation of 12 L/min?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The approximate pressure required to overcome the work of breathing imposed by an 8-mm endotracheal tube can be calculated by using the formula: Pressure = (Minute ventilation x Resistance) + (0.1 x Minute ventilation). The resistance of an 8-mm endotracheal tube is approximately 5 cmH2O/L/sec. Thus, the pressure support required would be: (12 x 5) + (0.1 x 12) = 60 + 1.2 = 61.2 cmH2O/min. Rounded to the nearest integer, the answer would be 5 cmH2O.

Approximately What Level of Pressure Support Is Required to Overcome