title: Measuring respiratory function to wean patients from non-invasive ventilation in a ward environment.
abstract: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is increasingly being introduced into various ward environments. NIV is usually used on wards to treat acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In patients with COPD, carbon dioxide removal will be impaired. In critical care, arterial blood gas sampling remains the 'gold standard' for assessing carbon dioxide levels. Obtaining arterial blood gas samples in a ward environment is problematic, and potentially dangerous. There is currently no reliable substitute for arterial sampling to monitor for hypercapnia in ward areas.
authors.affiliation: East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, Canterbury, Kent CT11 3NG. philip.woodrow@ekht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Woodrow
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D019296:Capnography; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006113:United Kingdom; D015300:Ventilator Weaning
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide