MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY-FAILURE DUE TO PULMONARY-EDEMA WITH NASAL POSITIVE PRESSURE SUPPORT

The management of patients with respiratory failure from cardiogenic p ulmonary edema may require intubation and mechanical ventilation. This provides both ventilatory assistance as well as the beneficial hemody namic effects of positive intrathoracic pressure. As the need for vent ilation is usually short term, noninvasive ventilatory support may be adequate. We report the use of biphasic positive airway pressure by na sal mask (BiPAP system) to successfully manage two patients with respi ratory failure due to pulmonary edema.