Objective Early weaning from mechanical ventilation is one of the primary goals in managing
critically ill patients. There are various techniques and measurement parameters
for such weaning. The objective of this study was to describe the practices of
ventilatory weaning in adult intensive care units in the city of Cali.Methods A survey of 32 questions (some multiple choice) evaluating weaning practices was
distributed to physiotherapists and respiratory therapists working in intensive
care units, to be answered anonymously.Results The most common strategy for the parameter set was the combination of continuous
positive airway pressure with pressure support (78%), with a large variability in
pressure levels, the most common range being 6 to 8cmH2O. The most
common weaning parameters were as follows: tidal volume (92.6%), respiratory rate
(93.3%) and oxygen saturation (90.4%). The most common waiting time for
registration of the parameters was >15 minutes (40%). The measurements were
preferably obtained from the ventilator display.Conclusion The methods and measurement parameters of ventilatory weaning vary greatly. The
most commonly used method was continuous positive airway pressure with more
pressure support and the most commonly used weaning parameters were the measured
tidal volume and respiratory rate.
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