Transnasal Insufflation for Patients With COPD GOLD IV and Hypercapnia

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly proceeding lung disease which basic pathophysiologic mechanisms are only partly understood so far and which is difficult to access with a pharmacological or sundry approach besides smoking cessation. Average life expectancy is clearly limited especially in advanced stages with respiratory insufficiency . Based on different smaller surveys long-term oxygen treatment is classified to be the routine in COPD treatment when patients develop hypoxemia.

The primary application of non-invasive ventilation Routine is the treatment for COPD patients with acute respiratory decompensation and developing hypoxemia and respiratory acidosis, because it reduces the acute mortality as various prospective randomized studies showed.

On the other side there are no distinct informations and data about the initiation of a nocturnal positive pressure breathing therapy when chronic hypercapnia appear in progression of COPD.

Nocturnal positive pressure therapy appliqued with a mask can be assumed to be the routine treatment for neuromuscular and restrictive thorax diseases, because nocturnal ventilation results in a distinct increase of life expectancy.

In contrast data about positive pressure therapy at COPD are inconsistent and initiation of nocturnal breathing therapy is practised in many places, but is scientifically not confirmed yet.