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Sedation and Asynchrony

NPWTThe Link Between Sedation & Asynchrony- While ventilation may be a life-saving tool for critically ill patients, it can also be an uncomfortable experience due to the invasiveness of the tubing, and mismatches (or “asynchronies”) between the patient’s demand for breath and the ventilator-delivered breathing pattern. In the past, clinicians addressed ventilator-patient asynchrony through heavy sedation. However, recent studies have highlighted the negative consequences of over-sedation for ventilatory patients, which include muscle atrophy from prolonged disuse and lengthened ventilation times. By evaluating for asynchrony, clinicians may be able to reduce the risk of oversedation. By using sedation more effectively, we can work together to potentially reduce ICU ventilation time.
Describe asynchrony and the effect of sedation on muscle atrophy. Discuss how conventional ventilation modes work — benefits and limitations of each considering the patient’s natural breathing pattern. Identify asynchrony and assess the causes.

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