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    Respiratory Care and Neuromuscular Disease

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    Marcela
    The document discusses respiratory care for patients with acute and chronic neuromuscular diseases. It affects the respiratory muscles which are necessary for life. Devices have been developed to support or replace ventilatory function. The articles will detail major neuromuscular diseases and their effects on breathing as well as respiratory support options.

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    Respiratory Care and Neuromuscular Disease

    Uploaded by

    Marcela
    13 views1 page
    The document discusses respiratory care for patients with acute and chronic neuromuscular diseases. It affects the respiratory muscles which are necessary for life. Devices have been developed to support or replace ventilatory function. The articles will detail major neuromuscular diseases and their effects on breathing as well as respiratory support options.

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    The document discusses respiratory care for patients with acute and chronic neuromuscular diseases. It affects the respiratory muscles which are necessary for life. Devices have been developed to support or replace ventilatory function. The articles will detail major neuromuscular diseases and their effects on breathing as well as respiratory support options.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    13 views1 page

    Respiratory Care and Neuromuscular Disease

    Uploaded by

    Marcela
    The document discusses respiratory care for patients with acute and chronic neuromuscular diseases. It affects the respiratory muscles which are necessary for life. Devices have been developed to support or replace ventilatory function. The articles will detail major neuromuscular diseases and their effects on breathing as well as respiratory support options.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    Foreword

    Respiratory Care and Neuromuscular Disease

    Aside from the heart, the respiratory muscles are the acute and chronic neuromuscular diseases that are seen in
    only ones in the body that are absolutely necessary for life. clinical practice. Supportive options for failure of both the
    It is therefore not surprising to learn that respiratory-mus- ventilatory muscles and the muscles that allow adequate
    cle dysfunction is the leading cause of morbidity and mor- cough function are detailed, and data supporting their use
    tality in those with acute and chronic neuromuscular ill- are reviewed. In addition to noninvasive options, the ap-
    ness. In this and the next issue of RESPIRATORY CARE, we propriate use of invasive (tracheostomy) ventilation is also
    discuss acute and chronic neuromuscular diseases and their discussed. We highlight the crucial role of the respiratory
    effects on the respiratory system. therapist in the support of the individual with neuromus-
    The crucial nature of the respiratory muscles in their cular disease.
    function as a “vital pump” has been known for nearly the These papers correspond to the presentations at the 37th
    past 2,000 years. However, it has been only in the past 100 RESPIRATORY CARE Journal Conference, by a multidisci-
    years or so that devices have been available that can sup- plinary group of pulmonologists, intensivists, anesthesiol-
    port or even replace the ventilatory function of the respi- ogists, neurologists, and respiratory therapists. It is un-
    ratory muscles. The development of the iron lung in re- usual to have such a diverse group together in the same
    sponse to the polio epidemics of the 20th century was a room discussing issues related to respiratory failure in pa-
    major turning point in the care of individuals with acute tients with neuromuscular disease. The discussions that
    and chronic effects of this deadly neuromuscular disease. resulted were lively and the papers produced are superb.
    Respiratory care was essential to the survival and recuper- Our thanks to the faculty and the American Respiratory
    ation of individuals with the effects of polio. However, Care Foundation for their support of this conference.
    there were several problems with the iron lung and related
    Joshua O Benditt MD
    devices, not the least of which was their size and bulki-
    Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
    ness. It was in the 1980s, with the advent of equipment for
    Department of Medicine
    the treatment of sleep apnea, that a real revolution in the
    University of Washington
    care of individuals with acute and chronic neuromuscular
    Seattle, Washington
    respiratory failure occurred. Comfortable lightweight in-
    terfaces that enabled delivery of phasic positive-pressure Dean R Hess PhD RRT FAARC
    with portable ventilators allowed for nighttime (and day- Department of Respiratory Care
    time) treatment of the hypoventilation that frequently ac- Massachusetts General Hospital
    companies neuromuscular diseases. and
    The articles in this and the following issue of RESPIRA- Harvard Medical School
    TORY CARE detail the physiology of some of the major Boston, Massachusetts

    828 RESPIRATORY CARE • AUGUST 2006 VOL 51 NO 8

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