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What a Clinician Should Do When a Patient “Fights the Ventilator”

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Mechanical Ventilation and Weaning

Part of the book series: Update in Intensive Care Medicine ((UICMSOFT,volume 36))

Abstract

“Fighting the ventilator” is a phrase used to describe a ventilator-supported patient who displays agitation and/or respiratory distress. Such “fighting” is common at the time of intubation and initiation of mechanical ventilation, and is due largely to the anxiety that is to be expected under these circumstances. However, the development of “fighting” in a previously calm patient suggests the likelihood of a new, and potentially serious complication (Table 6.1). Excessive agitation needs to be approached in a systematic manner since it can threaten the life of a ventilator-supported patient [1].

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Authors
  1. C. G. Alex
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  2. P. J. Fahey
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  3. M. J. Tobin
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Servei de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital de la Sante Creu i Sant Pau, Av. S.A. Maria Claret 167, 08025, Barcelona, Spain

    Jordi Mancebo MD (Associate Professor of Medicine) & Alvar Net MD (Professor of Medicine) (Associate Professor of Medicine) &  (Professor of Medicine)

  2. Service Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 51, Av. Du Mal de Lattre de Tassigny, F-94010, Créteil cedex, France

    Laurent Brochard MD (Professor of Medicine) (Professor of Medicine)

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Alex, C.G., Fahey, P.J., Tobin, M.J. (2003). What a Clinician Should Do When a Patient “Fights the Ventilator”. In: Mancebo, J., Net, A., Brochard, L. (eds) Mechanical Ventilation and Weaning. Update in Intensive Care Medicine, vol 36. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56112-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56112-2_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-44181-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-56112-2

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