An intensivist on a learning frenzy. Caring for the critically ill using evidence-based medicine.
Not every patient reads the textbook, but you and I have to know where to start when managing our patients who have hypercapnic respiratory failure that we want to treat with non-invasive ventilation (or what you and I frequently call BiPAP). This NIV algorithm is taken from the British Thoracic Society/Intensive Care Society Acute Hypercapnic …
Continue reading Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV/BPAP/BiPAP) Algorithm.
This was a post-hoc analysis of the FLORALI trial that I have reviewed before on this medium. In that study they compared patients who had hypoxemic respiratory failure by putting them on 1:1:1 on high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), standard oxygen therapy, and non-invasive ventilation (NIV aka BiPAP). They found that BiPAP was not beneficial …
Continue reading BiPAP should not be used in Immunocompromised patients
This topic is very dear to me because I am a huuuuuuuge proponent for appropriate end of life care. I'm an Intensivist after all and people unfortunately die on my service. We all are going to have our day. My goal with the patients I take care of is to make their passing to the …
Continue reading Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) does NOT mean you can’t use high flow.
I originally posted this article on 6/21/19 while preparing my NIV/BiPAP lecture. During that process, I learned and shared on IG about using a helmet rather than a mask for NIV (non-invasive ventilation). Looking at the footage that has been coming out of Italy and other parts of the world, you can catch a glimpse …