Anyone who has difficulty breathing normally, either because of acute disease or chronic condition, may need to use mechanical ventilation. This can include patients who have suffered a stroke, spinal cord injury, neuromuscular disorder or other illness, as well as the elderly.

Important topics for caregivers and patients to understand include:

Mechanical ventilation assistance

There are a variety of ventilation systems, all of which use a system that pushes gas/air through a tube to the patient's airway

Ventilator uses and types

Ventilators can deliver a set volume of gas/air with each breath cycle or can be set to a specific positive pressure

Invasive or noninvasive

Patients receive noninvasive treatment through a mask; invasive ventilation entails the use of an endotracheal tube inserted in the nose or mouth or a tracheostomy tube inserted through an incision in the neck