الفهرس 
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Abstract
Mechanical ventilation refers to the use of life-support technology to perform the work of breathing for patients who are unable to do with their own. One of the most common reasons for ICU admission is the need for mechanical ventilation. Patients most commonly require mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure or impending respiratory failure.
The overall goals of mechanical ventilation are to optimize gas exchange, patient work of breathing, and patient comfort while minimizing ventilator-induced lung injury.
Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is defined as the use of a mask or nasal prongs to provide ventilatory support through a patient’s nose and/or mouth. By definition this technique is distinguished from invasive ventilation that the latter bypass the patient’s upper airway with an artificial airway as endotracheal tube [ETT], laryngeal mask airway, or tracheostomy tube.
The primary advantage of NPPV is the avoidance of endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy. The secondary advantages are: decreased risk of nosocomial pneumonia, ability to manage many of these patients outside of the ICU (which may decrease hospital costs), decreased sedation requirement, improved ability to tolerate enteral feeds, and allow the patient to ambulate more easily.