Non-invasive ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with acute respiratory hypercapnic failure in a conventional hospital ward

To analyze chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) subjects in acute hypercapnic failure who were treated with non-invasive mechanical ventilation in a general respiratory ward. This was a two-year prospective study of 35 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD and mean FEV1/FVC relation in stable condition of 55.3 +/- 14.8% of predicted that were treated with positive pressure respiration using a facemask in a general respiratory ward. 17 (48.5%) receive long-term oxygen therapy. Analysis was made of blood gases, before and after treatment of non-invasive ventilation, complications, and failure during treatment. A significant improvement in blood gases was observed 24 hours after non-invasive ventilation treatment. The mean hospital stay was of 15.0 +/- 9.1 days and failures were registered in 3 cases (8.5%). Facial scares were the most common complication (13 patients) but it was possible to continue treatment. Non-invasive ventilation is a viable treatment for patients with chronic obstructive lung disease and acute hypercapnic failure being treated in a general respiratory ward.