This is an AI generated podcast of Tonya Piehl's lecture notes.

Mechanical ventilation becomes necessary when a patient cannot adequately breathe on their own to maintain sufficient oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. This need arises from conditions such as acute or impending ventilatory failure, marked by a rapid rise in CO2 or an inability to sustain normal blood gases despite increased breathing effort. Severe hypoxemia, characterized by dangerously low oxygen levels, also necessitates this intervention. Furthermore, prophylactic ventilation may be used in high-risk clinical scenarios to prevent respiratory complications and reduce stress on the cardiopulmonary system. Contraindications, like an untreated pneumothorax, and considerations for withholding or stopping ventilation, such as patient wishes or medical futility, are also important aspects of its application.