PEEP improves oxygenation
PEEP, or positive end‐expiratory pressure, it involves keeping a small amount of pressure in the lung at the end of expiration rather than letting it return to atmospheric pressure. This pressure trapped inside the lungs acts as a force pushing outward
on the alveoli and holding them open. It increases the volume of gas inside the lung at the end of
expiration‐ or increases Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) in physiological terms. PEEP is a simple basic setting on most mechanical ventilators. When using a bag valve ventilation device it can be accomplished by applying a small PEEP valve to the expiratory port on the device. A PEEP valve is simply a spring loaded valve that the patient exhales against.
PEEP prevents ventilator induced lung injury
The loss of lung units taking part in gas exchange as a result of collapse at end expiration impairs oxygenation. Some of these lung units remain collapsed during the next inspiration while others may collapse in expiration only to be reopened again when the next breath is delivered. This is known as recruitment-derecruitment of the lung. The repetitive collapseand re-expansion of alveoli occurring with every breath is now widely recognized to contribute to the development of ARDS. Prevention of collapse at the end expiration by the application of PEEP is an effective method to counteract this process
Key points
PEEP-prevents the lung from collapsing at end‐exhalation.
PEEP makes oxygen saturation (SpO2) increase and reduces lung damage.
In early injury 5‐10 cm H2O of PEEP is sufficient to prevent lung collapse.
If PEEP is too high it can cause blood pressure to fall
IPv6 network supported
English
فارسی
français
Deutsch
русский
italiano
español
português
العربية
Türkçe
