Non-invasive ventilation in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A new gold standard?

Abstract

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been shown to be an effective treatment for ventilatory failure resulting from acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and in a recent meta-analysis [1]. It has been used in a variety of countries and settings, with different ventilator modes and interfaces and in differing degrees of severity.