Respiratory function during pressure support ventilation, Chest 89

Pressure support ventilation (PSV) is a pressure assist form of mechanical ventilatory support that augments the pa-tient’s spontaneous inspiratory efforts with a clinician se-lected level of positive airway pressure. To understand the effects of PSV on respiratory function, experiments were performed on 15 stable patients requiring synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV), as well as on a mechanical model simulating these patients ’ ventilatory systems. In the clinical study, gas exchange, airway pres-sures, blood pressure and heart rate were measured while SIMV was replaced by enough PSV to approximate the T he goals of mechanical ventilatory support are to supply adequate ventilation and oxygenation, re-duce dyspnea, and promote rest and reconditioning of fatigued ventilatory muscles.’7 Currently, the tw