Since we are in the process of contemplating providing our patients with anti-retrovirals and anti-malarial drugs, I feel that some of us should reach out of our comfort zone and familiarize ourselves with APRV. If I'm being completely honest, I haven't needed this mode of ventilation much since fellowship. I haven't had many patients in whom I have had such a hard time oxygenating them where I have to reach for this mode. I tend to paralyze patients which is definitely NOT recommended in patients with APRV therefore ameliorating the benefit. I am aware of the PETAL study (Early Neuromuscular Blockage in the ARDS, NEJM 5/2019) which did not show a benefit to paralytics, by the way. My experience is therefore limited, thankfully for my patients who haven't needed me to venture down this road.
The data for APRV is not the most robust, but this recently published review this month contains some great tables and recommendations including the indications and contraindications for APRV, how to set up the vent to initiate APRV, how to troubleshoot the vent depending on the different physiological derangements (I find hypercapnia to be the most common of these personally), and lastly how to wean the vent. I feel the authors did a great job and definitely a good resource to have in your article collection. Stay safe everyone!
A hat tip to the authors.
-EJ
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