The monitoring of mechanically ventilated patients.

Mechanical ventilation may adversely affect cardiovascular stability, pulmonary function, and airway anatomy. Hemodynamic monitoring needs to be adequate to determine the effects of mechanical ventilation on hemodynamic status in a given patient, effects that represent the complex interactions of airway pressure with venous return, right heart function, and left heart function. Monitoring of the adequacy of pulmonary gas exchange and intrinsic and extrinsic work of breathing can decrease adverse or inadequate effects of mechanical ventilation on respiratory function. Finally, monitoring cuff pressure will decrease the incidence of tracheal damage during mechanical ventilation.