title: Noninvasive Ventilation.
abstract: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has assumed a prominent role in the treatment of patients with both hypoxemic and hypercapnic acute respiratory failure (ARF). The main theoretic advantages of NIV include avoiding side effects and complications associated with endotracheal intubation, improving patient comfort, and preserving airway defense mechanisms. Factors that affect the success of NIV in patients with ARF are clinicians' expertise, selection of patient, choice of interface, selection of ventilator setting, proper monitoring, and patient motivation. Advances in the understanding of the physiologic aspects of using NIV through different interfaces and ventilator modalities have improved patient-machine interaction, thus enhancing favorable NIV outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Agostino Gemelli Hospital, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Agostino Gemelli Hospital, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Pascale
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Agostino Gemelli Hospital, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome 00168, Italy. Electronic address: m.antonelli@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antonelli
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D063087:Noninvasive Ventilation / Q000379:methods*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Acute respiratory failure; ICU; Noninvasive ventilation