[Treatment of chronic respiratory insufficiency of pulmonary origin. Clinical considerations]

The key-points of the physiopathological treatment of chronic pneumogenous respiratory insufficiency are: correction of distribution defects, suitable local adjustment of the ventilation: perfusion ratio, and correction of obstacles to alveolocapillary diffusion. Many drugs can be used to obtain these results; bronchodilators, vasoactive drugs, cortisones, cardiokinetics, antibiotics, analeptics. Reference is also made to oxygen therapy, depletion management (bloodletting and-or diuretics, and their possible mechanisms. Lastly, attention is given to disturbances, in acid-base equilibrium in chronic respiratory insufficiency and their correction.