Overview
An intubated 36 year-old woman diagnosed with pneumonia is being ventilated with a volume of .5L. The peak inspiratory pressure is 24 cm H2O, Plateau pressure is 19 cm H2O and the baseline pressure (PEEP) is zero. The inspiratory gas flow is constant at 60 L/min.
- Based on the calculated static compliance, describe specific issues that can cause the static compliance to be abnormal.
- Based on these values, the airway resistance is normal (do the calculation to make sure I am correct). Describe why the patient's airway resistance is normal based on the patient's diagnosis of pneumonia.
3. With this patient and her diagnosis, what are things that can be done to improve the patient's static compliance.