SEVERE HYPERVENTILATION AND RESPIRATORY ALKALOSIS DURING PRESSURE-SUPPORT VENTILATION - REPORT OF A HAZARD

A 53-year-old woman with a flaccid quadriparesis developed severe hype rventilation and respiratory alkalosis during pressure-support ventila tion. A gas leak in the ventilator system caused a loss of positive en d-expiratory pressure and autocycling of the ventilator. Large ventila tor breaths were then delivered because a high level of pressure suppo rt was set in a patient with low respiratory impedance. The complicati on is rare and its occurrence requires a combination of patient and eq uipment factors. Awareness of the responsible factors will promote det ection and prevention of the hazard.