Originally Published: Common Sense September/October 2017
Over the last decade, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), including both bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) modes, has become an important tool in the management of ED patients with respiratory distress due to acute pulmonary edema (APE) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. Many studies have shown its utility in successfully reducing the need for intubation and reducing length of stay (LOS) in the ICU. Given these positive results, interest in NIV for patients with undifferentiated respiratory distress has increased but very few studies have compared the outcomes of using NIV for other causes of acute respiratory distress, such as asthma, pneumonia, malignancy, or interstitial lung disease. This review aims to discuss the current literature on the non-standard use of NIV for for other causes of respiratory distress in the emergency setting and to identify potential areas for further research.
