Clinical practice guidelines for the use of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and noninvasive continuous positive airway pressure in the acute care setting

Abstract

ver the past two decades, the use of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and noninvasive continuous positive airway pressure by mask has increased substantially for acutely ill patients. Initial case series and uncontrolled cohort studies that suggested benefit in selected patients 1-13 led to many randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Both thods of ventilation have been used in the setting of acute respiratory failure to avoid endotracheal intubation in different patient populations and settings, with variable success. [117][118][119][120][ ] In addition, how can these two modes of noninvasive ventilation be optimally applied in these settings?