Positive-Pressure Respiration, Intrinsic
AutoPEEP; Non-Therapeutic Positive-Pressure Respiration; Nontherapeutic Positive-Pressure Respiration; Positive-Pressure Respiration, Non-Therapeutic; Positive-Pressure Respiration, Nontherapeutic; Respiration, Non-Therapeutic Positive-Pressure
Non-therapeutic positive end-expiratory pressure occurring frequently in patients with severe airway obstruction. It can appear with or without the administration of external positive end-expiratory pressure (POSITIVE-PRESSURE RESPIRATION). It presents an important load on the inspiratory muscles which are operating at a mechanical disadvantage due to hyperinflation. Auto-PEEP may cause profound hypotension that should be treated by intravascular volume expansion, increasing the time for expiration, and/or changing from assist mode to intermittent mandatory ventilation mode. (From Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 12th ed, p1127)