title: [Chronic critically ill patients from a pneumological perspective].
abstract: Epidemiological estimates predict an increase in patients with chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma; therefore, increasing numbers of patients with preexisting lung diseases who require intensive care treatment are to be expected. These patients tend to have complex disease patterns and are difficult to wean from mechanical ventilation after intubation. It is not uncommon for these patients to need permanent mechanical ventilation after an acute illness. Also the question of limiting therapy, the need for treatment with a palliative objective and supervision of patients as well as their relatives at the end of life is a challenge for intensive care physicians when treating acutely ill patients with chronic pulmonary diseases.
authors.affiliation: Lehrkrankenhaus, Krankenhaus Donaustauf, Universität Regensburg, Donaustauf. michael.pfeifer@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine; D013727:Terminal Care; D015300:Ventilator Weaning; D028761:Withholding Treatment