The ventilator mode that allows the patient to breathe spontaneously between operator-selected time-triggered volume and pressure-targeted breaths is which of the following?

Question

a. Pressure support ventilation (PSV)
b. Continuous mandatory ventilation (CMV)
c. Intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV)
d. Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV)

Answer 1

ANS: C
The intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) mode allows the patient to breathe spontaneously between operator mandatory ventilator breaths. During these spontaneous breaths the baseline pressure may be set at ambient pressure or above ambient pressure. In addition, pressure support may be used during the spontaneous breathing period. Pressure support ventilation (PSV) has no time-triggered breaths, nor does it have volume-targeted breaths. Continuous mandatory ventila-tion (CMV) does not allow for spontaneous breathing; it only allows the patient to trigger the mandatory ventilator breath. Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) does not have vol-ume-targeted breaths. It is designed to be two levels of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) where the patients breathe spontaneously at both levels.