Evidence-based On-call

Congestive heart failure

Therapy

Give patients with respiratory failure continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ^a

Why?

It reduces the need for intubation and ventilation, but has no clear effect on mortality. ^a
It reduces length of stay on intensive care units (mean of 1.5 days shorter) ^a
Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is not clearly as effective or safe as CPAP. ^a

Severe pulmonary oedema : CPAP reduces endotracheal intubation

Patient	Treatment	Comparison	Outcome	CER	RRR (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)
severe pulmonary oedema ^a	CPAP	no CPAP	endotracheal intubation at ?admission	41%	62% (34% to 78%)	4 (3 to 8)