PEEP is like cowbell. Okay not really but when gas exchange is insufficient with increased FiO2, PEEP will help open alveoli and increase the functional area available for ventilation.
Never seen a ventilated patient without PEEP, but OK. PEEP splints alveloi and so prevents shearing damage from snapping open from fully closed with every inspiration. Plus what benwhite said.
submitted by โlen49(42)
This patient has decompensated and has met criteria for ARDS. How to tell it is ARDS:
acute onset
P/F ratio <300 (in this patient it is super low at 55 , which is classified as very severe ARDS)
non-cardiac cause (states no cardiomegaly and no other cardiac hx/disease)
CXR showing diffuse bilateral infiltrates
The most important thing for ARDS treatment is lung protective ventilator strategy which includes low tidal volume based on ideal body weight (6cc per kilo) and high PEEP for recruitment of closed alveoli