Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Weaning ventilatory support 

Weaning ventilatory support
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2022. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 01 July 2022

Several studies suggest that most patients weaned successfully could have tolerated the weaning attempts had they been initiated a day or so earlier. Such data emphasize the need for the early use of screening tests. A screening test should have a high sensitivity. The ratio of respiratory frequency to tidal volume has been evaluated in more than 25 studies and its average sensitivity is 0.89. Weaning involves undertaking three diagnostic tests in sequence, measuring predictors, a weaning trial, and a trial of extubation. Of the techniques used for a weaning trial, intermittent mandatory ventilation has been repeatedly shown to be inferior to the use of T-tube trials or pressure support. Six randomized trials have evaluated the usefulness of protocols in the management of weaning. Three revealed no benefit—two had major methodological problems, leaving only one supporting the use of protocols.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.