The following is the summary of “Ten rules for optimizing ventilatory settings and targets in post-cardiac arrest patients” published in the December 2022 issue of Critical care by Battaglini, et al.

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, typically coupled with involvement in both the nervous system and the body as a whole. In post-CA patients, supportive therapeutic strategies like mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic settings, and temperature management have been implemented in the past decade to protect the brain and the lungs and prevent systemic complications. These strategies aim to protect both the brain and the lungs. 

The lung-protective ventilation method is currently the standard of care among critically sick patients because it has proven beneficial benefits on mortality, ventilator-free days, and other clinical outcomes. The significance of a preventative and individualized setting for mechanical ventilation in patients who do not have acute respiratory distress syndrome or who have had CA is becoming more apparent. In post-CA patients, there is controversy over the individual effects of several parameters of lung-protective ventilation on clinical outcomes. These parameters include mechanical power and the appropriate oxygen and carbon dioxide objectives. 

When dealing with post-CA patients, proper control of their hemodynamics and temperature is essential in achieving clinical improvement. This review aims to analyze and synthesize the most recent research regarding achieving optimal mechanical ventilation in patients who have undergone CA. In this section, researchers will present 10 helpful hints and essential insights for applying a lung-protective ventilation approach in post-CA patients. In doing so, researchers will consider the interaction between the lungs and other systems and organs, including the brain.

Source: ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13054-022-04268-7