Summary
Mechanical ventilation can save lives but it can also cause negative side-effects, such as lung damage. Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), based on the principle of open lung approach, can help by improving oxygenation, facilitating spontaneous breathing and protecting the lungs against complications. Although in the past, APRV has mainly been used for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who are difficult to oxygenate, today it is no longer only used as a rescue mode.
Ventilation therapy and APRV —
From treatment to prevention: APRV facilitates spontaneous breathing by delivering continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and augments ventilation with brief releases. Take a look at how this can prevent mechanical ventilation complications, such as ARDS.
APRV history, terminology and best practices
In this workshop from the Dräger Advanced Ventilation Symposium, Dr. Nadar Habashi covers the basics of APRV history, terminology, best practices, applications and benefits – including the impact of APRV on the incidence and mortality of ARDS, the concepts of APRV and the use of APRV in preventing ARDS.
About Dr. Nader Habashi
Position: Associate Professor, School of Medicine
Institution: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Ventilation therapy video gallery
Ms. Penny Andrews talks about APRV settings and clinical applications. Dr. Nader Habashi discusses the concept of spontaneous breathing and how to support it in mechanical ventilation. Take a look at these and many more videos to take a deeper dive into the topic of APRV and ventilation therapy.
Dräger quick setup guide for APRV
Dr. Luigi Camporota, from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust lends his expert knowledge to our quick guide for APRV.
About Dr. Luigi Camporota
Position: Consultant, Intensive Care Medicine
Institution: Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Suggested downloads
Did you know?
Take a look at this infographic to get a quick overview and understanding of APRV and how and when it can be applied in clinical settings.
Literature list
Want to know more on APRV? Here’s a list for further reading.
APRV modes in intensive care
Read about the available ventilator modes for Dräger devices and learn about the properties and control principles of each mode.
Related products
Dräger Evita® Infinity® V500 ventilator
Dräger PulmoVista® 500
Dräger Evita® V800/V600
High performance ventilation
High Flow Oxygen Therapy—
High-flow oxygen therapy – applied with a special binasal high-flow nasal cannula and a heated inspiratory breathing circuit – provides comfortable, non-invasive respiratory support to patients who require oxygen at higher flow rates.
Get in touch with Dräger—
