What is another name for auto PEEP?

Auto PEEP, also known as dynamic hyperinflation, occurs when the patient is unable to fully exhale before the next breath is delivered in mechanical ventilation. This situation often arises in patients with obstructive lung diseases, such as asthma or COPD, where airflow limitation causes air to become trapped in the lungs.

Dynamic hyperinflation leads to an increased end-expiratory lung volume, which can elevate intrathoracic pressure, impacting hemodynamics and patient comfort. Understanding this term is crucial for healthcare professionals as it highlights the importance of managing the ventilatory settings to prevent excessive air trapping, improve ventilation efficiency, and ensure patient safety during respiratory support.

The other terms, such as static PEEP, controlled PEEP, and excessive PEEP, describe different concepts and configurations in mechanical ventilation settings. Static PEEP refers to a preset level of positive end-expiratory pressure that is intentionally applied and does not change with the patient’s spontaneous breathing efforts. Controlled PEEP indicates a mode of ventilation where PEEP is set and controlled by the ventilator. Excessive PEEP, while it may suggest a situation similar to auto PEEP, isn’t synonymous, as it implies a potentially harmful level of PEEP that may be manually set,