Demographics of long-term ventilator-dependent patients outside the intensive care unit.
Continued management of clinically stable ventilator-dependent patients in the intensive care unit is controversial, given the expense and limitations of intensive care resources. A proposed alternative, which could reduce the cost of care, has been "noninvasive respiratory units." We review the management of 99 ventilator-dependent patients on routine nursing floors to define our case mix and the outcome of long-term care.
Cordasco
E M
EM
Department of Pulmonary Disease, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44106.
Sivak
E D
ED
Perez-Trepichio
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003710:Demography; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D012124:Respiratory Care Units; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical