Insuficiencia respiratoria crónica. Tratamiento

The term respiratory failure is defined by the inability to properly perform essential respiratory functions, including oxygenating the blood and eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood. There is no defined period of time separating acute from chronic respiratory failure. The management of chronic respiratory failure includes general measures such as smoking cessation, treatment of the underlying disease and respiratory rehabilitation. In terms of drug treatment, the use of acetazolamide is controversial. Continuous home oxygen therapy has been shown to improve survival for patients with CRF secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and noninvasive mechanical ventilation has been shown to improve long-term survival even for patients with a limited prognosis.