METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A LEVEL OF VENTILATORY ASSIST TO A PATIENT

摘要

A method and device for determining a level of ventilatory assist to be delivered to a patient by a mechanical ventilator in response to a measure of a patient's neural respiratory drive multiplied by an amplification factor, wherein an existing predicted ventilatory assist pressure is calculated and an existing resulting pressure delivered to the patient by the mechanical ventilator is measured. The amplification factor is changed from an existing amplification factor to a new amplification factor, a new predicted ventilatory assist pressure is calculated using the new amplification factor, and a new resulting pressure delivered to the patient by the mechanical ventilator after the amplification factor has been changed is measured. The new and existing predicted ventilatory assist pressures are compared to determine an anticipated change in pressure that will be delivered to the patient, and the new and existing resulting pressures are compared to determine an actual change in pressure delivered to the patient by the mechanical ventilator. The anticipated and actual changes in pressure are compared and a decision to increase, maintain or decrease the amplification factor is delivered in response to the comparison between the anticipated change and the actual change in pressure.