II. Indications
- See Endotracheal Intubation Preoxygenation
- Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure or Inadequate oxygenation (CPAP or BIPAP)
- Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema
- Severe Congestive Heart Failure exacerbations
- Hypercarbic Respiratory Failure or Inadequate ventilation (BIPAP)
- Moderate to Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbations
-
Immunocompromised patients
- Early initiation of Noninvasive Ventilation reduces intubation risk
- Non-intubated Immunocompromised patients have lower mortality
- Related to risk of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
- Other indications
- Ventilator Weaning in a COPD exacerbation
- Post-Extubation of high risk patients
- At least one failed Ventilator Weaning attempt
- Chronic Congestive Heart Failure
- PaCO2 >45 mmHg
- Two or more medical comorbidities
- Weak cough
- Upper airway Stridor
- Acute Respiratory Failure associated with some Bellows Failure causes
- Neuromuscular disorders (Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, Eaten-Lambert Syndrome)
- Chest wall deformities (e.g. kyphoscoliosis)
- Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome
- References
- (2025) Noninvasive Ventilation, Hospital Procedures Course
- Other indications with mixed efficacy or inadequate studies
- Asthma
- Pneumonia (including mild to moderate pneumocystis Pneumonia)
- Acute Lung Injury (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)
- Thoracic Trauma
- Cystic Fibrosis associated Respiratory Failure
- Post-operative Acute Respiratory Failure
- References
III. Contraindications: General
- See Advanced Airway Indications
-
Respiratory Failure or apnea
- Cardiopulmonary Arrest
- Comatose patient
- Airway protection
- Status Epilepticus
- Upper airway tenuous with risk of complete obstruction
- Uncontrolled Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Intractable Emesis
- Facial Trauma, Burn Injury or recent surgery
- Other factors
- Uncooperative or Agitated Patient despite anxiolysis
- Patient unable to synchronize with BIPAP delivered breaths
- Hemodynamic instability
IV. Contraindications: Relative (Predictors of failed Noninvasive Ventilation)
- Noninvasive Ventilation (NIV) may be trialed with close patient observation
- Strongest predictors of NIV failure
- Simplified Acute Physiology Score 2 (SAPS2) >=35
- Apache 2 initial score >=21
- Moderate to severe ARDS (PaO2/FIO2 <150)
- Initial pH <7.2
- Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <=11
- Respiratory Rate >=35
- Shock state
- Other predictors of NIV failure
- Minimal improvement in VBG (pH, PaCO2) after 1 hour of NIV
- Pneumonia
- Significant Metabolic Acidosis
- Significant airway secretions
- Malnutrition
- Multi-system organ failure
- Premorbid inability to perform ADLs
- References
- (2025) Noninvasive Ventilation, Hospital Procedures Course
V. Precautions
- Start Noninvasive Ventilation early, before severe respiratory Fatigue occurs
- When starting Supplemental Oxygen, consider whether Noninvasive Ventilation would be a better choice
- Prepare the machine in advance of patient arrival (e.g. EMS radio report)
- Plug in the Bipap or Cpap machine
- Attach to wall oxygen
- Attach mask to machine
- Set initial FIO2 to 100%
- Set initial Inspiratory pressure (IPAP) to 10-15 H2O, and expiratory pressure (EPAP) to 5 H2O
VI. Physiology
- Pressures required to allow inspiration must equal the airway pressures to overcome
- Ventilator pressures (CPAP, BIPAP) allow for lower respiratory Muscle pressures (work of breathing)
- Pressures required to allow inspiration
- Respiratory Muscle Pressures or work of breathing (pMuscle)
- Ventilator pressures (pApplied)
- Airway pressures to overcome
- Airway elastance with a predilection for airway collapse (pElastance)
- Airway resistance such as that due to bronchospasm or inflammation (pResistance)
- Airway impedance to flow from other factors such as anatomy in Sleep Apnea (pThreshold)
- Positive Airway Pressures
- Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) or Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP)
- Maintains open airways to provide oxygenation
- CPAP only supplies continuous pressure at this level
- BIPAP provides this pressure between ventilations
- Inspiratory Positive Airway Pressure (IPAP)
- Pressure Support Ventilation during inspiration provides a Tidal Volume (IPAP-EPAP) and clears CO2
- BIPAP provides this pressure during ventilations
- Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) or Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP)
VII. Adverse Effects: Minor (common)
- Nasopharyngeal irritation
- Nasal or sinus congestion
- Ear Pain or sinus pressure
- Noninfectious Conjunctivitis
- Mask malplacement effects
- Nasal or facial abrasions, ulcerations or Pressure Sores
VIII. Adverse Effects: Major (<5% of patients, esp. BiPAP)
- Aspiration Pneumonitis
- Gastric insufflation
- Increases work of breathing (against a distended Stomach)
- Risk of Vomiting and aspiration
- Abdominal Compartment Syndrome is a rare associated complication
- Avoid BIPAP inspiratory pressures >20 cm H2O
-
Hypotension (from decreased Cardiac Output)
- Results from decreased Preload related to increased intrathoracic pressure
- Manage with increased fluid Resuscitation
-
Barotrauma
- Pneumothorax may occur at higher pressures
IX. Management: Approach to Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation Selection
- Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure (Inadequate oxygenation)
- Concepts
- Increase oxygen delivered to the lung (FIO2) or
- Increase mean airway pressure (or Positive End-Expiratory Pressure, PEEP)
- Interventions
- Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP)
- High Humidity High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HHFNC)
- In practice, BIPAP is often used in these cases
- Monitoring
- Pulse Oximetry (preferred, reflects Oxygen Delivery to tissue)
- ABG with pO2
- Targets
- Target 90-96% Oxygen Saturation (88-92% in COPD and Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome)
- Conditions
- Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema
- Congestive Heart Failure exacerbations
- Maximum CPAP settings above which intubation should be considered (see below)
- Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) > 12-15 cm H2O
- Delivered FIO2 >60%
- Concepts
- Hypercarbic Respiratory Failure (Inadequate ventilation)
- Concepts
- Minute Ventilation = TV * RR
- Increase Tidal Volume (TV) or
- Increase Respiratory Rate (RR)
- Interventions
- Monitoring
- ABG or VBG (pH and pCO2)
- etCO2
- Targets
- Do not attempt to fix acid-base abnormalities initially (Permissive hypercapnea is preferred)
- Allow a wider range of pH (7.2 to 7.5) in most patients
- Maintain normal pCO2 (35-45 mmHg) in Increased Intracranial Pressure, pregnancy, severe Pulmonary Hypertension
- Conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbations
- BIPAP may be used for any of the Hypoxemia cases as well instead of CPAP
- Includes CHF (without increased risk of Myocardial Infarction)
- Vital (2013) Cochrane Database Syst Rev 5:CD005351 +PMID:18646124 [PubMed]
- Concepts
- References
- Mallemat and Runde in Herbert (2015) EM:Rap 15(2): 7-8
- Internet Book of Critical Care (EMCRIT.org)
X. Protocol: Indications for intubation (failed Noninvasive Ventilation)
- See Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BIPAP) for re-evaluation based on ABG criteria
- Based on re-evaluation clinical criteria including Arterial Blood Gas at 1-2 hours and at 4-6 hours
- Major Criteria (based on COPD cohort)
- See Advanced Airway indications
- Respiratory arrest (despite noninvasive Ventilator back-up rate)
- Gasping for air
- Loss of consciousness with respiratory pauses
- Agitation requiring sedation
- Heart Rate <50 bpm and loss of alertness
- Hemodynamic instability with systolic Blood Pressure <70 mmHg
- Minor Criteria (2 of the following, based on COPD cohort)
- Respiratory Rate >35 breaths/minute (at any time)
- Respiratory Rate >20-25/minute (after one hour of Noninvasive Ventilation)
- pH <7.30 and decreased from onset
- PaO2 <45 mmHg despite Supplemental Oxygen
- Decreased Level of Consciousness or worsening encephalopathy
- References
- Hoo (2012) Noninvasive Ventilation, Medscape EMedicine,
XI. Protocol: Monitoring
- Patient Observation
- Dyspnea
- Increased work of breathing
- Diaphoresis
- Patient intolerance of mask, or anxiety with BiPAP
-
Vital Signs
- Changes in Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Blood Pressure, Oxygen Saturation
- Cardiac monitoring
- Equipment
- Ventilator dysynchrony with patient respirations
- Air leaks
- Serial ABG or VBG
- Obtain at presentation (before NIV)
- Obtain 1-2 hours after starting NIV
- Obtain periodically with changes in clinical status or machine settings
XII. Efficacy
- Noninvasive Ventilation in COPD exacerbation
- Outcomes (related to reduced complications of Mechanical Ventilation)
- Decreased Mortality (RR 0.41 to 0.9)
- Decreased Intubations Rates (RR 0.36 to 0.72)
- Decreased hospital lengths of stay (-3.2 to -4.5 days)
- References
- Outcomes (related to reduced complications of Mechanical Ventilation)
- Noninvasive Ventilation in moderate to severe CHF exacerbations
- Outcomes with CPAP (plus standard CHF care)
- Decreased mortality (RR 0.64 to 0.8)
- Decreased intubation rates (RR 0.43 to 0.49)
- No difference in hospital length of stay
- References
- Outcomes with CPAP (plus standard CHF care)
- Noninvasive Ventilation has a lower efficacy when used in DNI patients with non-CHF, non-COPD Respiratory Failure
- Respiratory Failure due to other conditions (e.g. Pneumonia, Cancer)
- Levy (2004) Crit Care Med 32(10):2002-7 +PMID: 15483407 [PubMed]
- References
- (2025) Noninvasive Ventilation, Hospital Procedures Course
XIII. References
- (2025) Noninvasive Ventilation, Hospital Procedures Course
- (2016) Mechanical Ventilation, Fundamental Critical Care Support, SCCM, p. 61-92
- Martin and Hall (2015) Crit Dec Emerg Med 29(2): 11-8