Managing Respiratory Failure in Obstructive Lung Disease

Exacerbations of obstructive lung disease are common causes of acute respiratory failure. Short-acting bronchodilators and systemic glucocorticoids are the foundation of pharmacologic management. For patients requiring ventilator support, use of noninvasive ventilation reduces the risk of mortality and progression to invasive mechanical ventilation. Challenges associated with invasive ventilation include ventilator dyssynchrony, air trapping, and dynamic hyperinflation. Careful monitoring and adjustment of ventilatory support parameters helps to optimize the patient-ventilator interaction and minimizes the risk of associated morbidity. Extracorporeal life support is an emerging treatment for refractory hypercapnic respiratory failure associated with obstructive lung disease.