Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) Practice Exam

What is the primary purpose of using low tidal volume ventilation in ARDS management?

1. To reduce the work of breathing

2. To optimize oxygenation

3. To prevent further lung injury

4. To facilitate extubation

The correct answer is: To prevent further lung injury

The primary purpose of using low tidal volume ventilation in the management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is to prevent further lung injury. Low tidal volume ventilation aims to minimize lung overdistension and barotrauma, which can occur when larger tidal volumes are used. In ARDS, the lung tissue is already compromised and susceptible to additional injury from mechanical ventilation. By utilizing smaller tidal volumes, the ventilatory strategy focuses on enhancing lung protection rather than merely optimizing gas exchange. This approach allows for more controlled and safer ventilation, reducing the risk of worsening the patient's condition, thereby mitigating the potential for further lung injury. Also, the use of a protective strategy in ventilation aligns with the principles of lung-protective ventilation, which is understood to decrease mortality rates in ARDS patients. In contrast, while reducing the work of breathing and optimizing oxygenation are important components of patient management in ARDS, they are not the primary objectives of employing low tidal volume ventilation. Facilitating extubation is more associated with weaning strategies rather than the immediate goals of mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes in the context of ARDS management.