ABSTRACT
Advances in medical science have enabled persons with ventilatory failure from a variety of diagnoses to prolong their lives by opting for long-term mechanical ventilation (LTMV). In addition to their various medical issues, such patients also have psychological responses to both their physical status and their need for prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). The impact of living with an unremitting, life-threatening condition can overwhelm a person’s coping resources and result in reactive psychological disorders, which must be addressed for their medical treatment to be maximally effective. The effects of LTMV are also experienced by the family, who may be profoundly impacted by their relative’s change in physical and emotional function. Such changes influence marital and family roles and relationships.
