ABSTRACT
Justification for non-invasive ventilation 31
Establishing need and target population 31
Specialist services 32
Location of non-invasive ventilation unit 32
Monitoring 34
Staffing and training 34
Equipment 35
Protocols 36
Audit and development 37
Long-term non-invasive ventilation link 37
References 38
JUSTIFICATION FOR NON-INVASIVE VENTILATION
The evidence to support non-invasive ventilation (NIV) use in a variety of conditions has been listed in Chapter 1. There is now incontrovertible evidence that NIV in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is gold standard therapy, and it also has a joint first-line role in acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, and should strongly be considered as part of an overall weaning strategy. For acute hospitals who already have an NIV service, it is helpful to review this regularly and ensure it continues to be effective, responsive to new indications, and safe.
