AN EVALUATIVE STUDY OF NON-INVASIVE POSITIVE PRESSURE VENTILATION IN THE TREATMENT OF PULMONARY EDEMA

Abstract

The present study has been done to evaluate the use of non invasive mechanical ventilation in addition to conventional medical treatment in the management of acute . respiratory failure secondary to acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema compared to conventional medical treatment alone.

All patients fulfilled the following criteria: difficulty in breathing spontaneously expressed by the patient, signs of increased respiratory work, respiratory rate more than 25 per minute and arterial blood oxygen tension (Pa02 to F102 ratio less than 200). The study included 30 patients divided into three groups:

Group I (10 patients): patients received conventional medical treatment alone.

Group II (10 patients): patients received continuous positive airway pressure ventilation (CPAP) in addition to conventional medical treatment.

Group III (10 patients): patients received bilevel intermittent positive airway pressure (BiPAP) in addition to conventional medical treatment.

All patients in the three studied groups were subjected to the following: I. Thorough clinical history taking. .. 2. Complete physical examination.

3. Plain X-ray chest (P-A & lateral views).

4. Electrocardiography and echocardiography.

And the following parameters were measured for all patients:

1. Heart rate.

2. Respiratory rate.