MMV (also called minimum minute ventilation and augmented minute ventilation) is used primarily to wean patients from the ventilator. It allows the operator to set a minimum V E , which usually is 70% to 90% of patient's current V E . The ventilator provides whatever part of the V E that the patient is unable to accomplish.

 

The ventilator monitors the patient's spontaneous breathing, and if the patient does ot achieve the set V E , it provides additional machine ventilation to make up the difference. This is done either by increasing the breath rate or by increasing the preset pressure. If the patient begins to breathe more without ventilator assistance, the ventilator reduces its amount of support.