Noninvasive Ventilation and Weaning Outcome

Guidelines recommend noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiogenic pulmonary edema to prevent intubation and enhance survival [1, 2]. However, clinicians apply NIV to a broader array of clinical conditions to provide partial respiratory support and to limit intubation-related complications, including pneumonia and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Regardless of the indication, the clinician’s goal in using NIV is to reduce patient morbidity and mortality. In this chapter, we summarize current RCTs and meta-analyses pertaining to the application of NIV to wean patients from invasive ventilation, prevent extubation failure in at-risk patients, and to treat post-extubation respiratory failure.