A patient develops acute hypercapnic respiratory failure due to muscle fatigue. Which of the following modes of ventilatory support would you consider for this patient?
1) Assist-control ventilation with adequate backup
2) Continuous positive airway pressure
3) Intermittent mandatory ventilation with adequate backup rate
4) Bilevel pressure support by mask
A)2 and 4 only
B)3 and 4 only
C)1, 2, and 3 only
D)1, 3, and 4 only

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In acute hypercapnic respiratory failure due to muscle fatigue, the patient requires ventilatory support that can ensure adequate ventilation and reduce the work of breathing. Assist-control ventilation (1) provides full ventilatory support with a set rate and additional breaths if the patient initiates them, ensuring ventilation if the patient's effort is insufficient. Intermittent mandatory ventilation with adequate backup rate (3) offers a combination of mandatory breaths to ensure ventilation and allows spontaneous breathing, which can be beneficial for weaning. Bilevel pressure support by mask (4) provides non-invasive ventilatory support with different pressures for inhalation and exhalation, helping to reduce the work of breathing and improve gas exchange. Continuous positive airway pressure (2) is not included because it does not provide direct ventilatory support but rather keeps the airways open, which might not be sufficient for a patient with muscle fatigue leading to hypercapnic respiratory failure.

A Patient Develops Acute Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Due to Muscle