NON-INVASIVE VENTILATION AND THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST: CURRENT STATE AND FUTURE TRENDS

Respiratory physiotherapy aims to improve the efficiency of ventilation, aid the removal of secretions, and improve functional capacity by the use of physical means in patients with respiratory disorders. This is often achieved using some form of positive pressure therapy. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is a ventilation technique whereby ventilatory support can be provided to a patient with respiratory problems without the need for an endotracheal or tracheostomy tube. Physiotherapists involved in the care of patients with respiratory impairment are increasingly involved in the use of NIV in routine clinical practice as the aims of both NIV and respiratory physiotherapy frequently overlap. Understanding how the technique works and how to apply it appropriately in a range of clinical circumstances will become mandatory in order to manage patients with respiratory failure effectively and appropriately.