LUNG FUNCTION AND VENTILATION IN THE CRITICALLY ILL PATIENT

摘要

Adequate ventilation is clearly crucial to successful patient outcome. When managing critically ill patients, respiratory failure is a principal cause of morbidity and death. Pulmonary disease may be loosely divided into several categories, including1) presenting complaint 2) hospital acquired 3) neurological or neuromuscular failure 4) upper airway and 5) cats. Cats may of course be affected by #l-#4, but it is wise to recognize that the feline response to critical illness is different from the dog. Pleural space disease (air/fluid/hernia) may be responsible for distress but may be addressed via thoracocentesis or operative interventions. From a therapeutic and prognostic standpoint, it is prudent to consider etiology and therapy separately and focus specifically on action steps that will result in better patient outcome. As respiratory distress may be immediately life threatening, some guidelines may be helpful to consider to improve patient outcome.