title: Ventilatory strategies in the management of the adult respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: This article review available strategies for mechanically ventilating patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome. The authors first present the conventional strategies of mechanical ventilation: volume-limited mechanical ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) at normal inspiratory-expiratory ratios, the approach that has been the mainstay of ventilatory support since the initial description of PEEP. This discussion attempts to summarize the rationale and goals of treatment in a practical, clinically useful manner. The second section of the article reviews less conventional ventilatory approaches, including inverse ratio ventilation, extracorporeal techniques, high-frequency ventilation, prone position, and fluctuating PEEP, and attempts to review critically the available literature regarding their application.
authors: Section of Respiratory Therapy, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio.
authors: J K
authors: JK
authors: Stoller
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Kacmarek
mesh_terms: D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006612:High-Frequency Ventilation; D006801:Humans; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011187:Posture; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical