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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2009; 30(3): 321-329
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1222446
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Hypoventilation in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

David A. Beuther1
  • 1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 May 2009 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Chronic hypoventilation is a marker of disease severity in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The degree to which this predicts severity or objective measures of lung function is variable, and more reliable for COPD than for asthma. Patients with COPD are particularly susceptible to nocturnal hypoventilation, but at-risk patients can be identified by abnormalities in daytime gas exchange. Continuous positive airway pressure and noninvasive ventilation have no demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of chronic hypoventilation solely due to asthma or COPD. There is consensus that early treatment with noninvasive ventilation for acute hypoventilation due to a COPD exacerbation is not only highly effective, but it reduces mortality, the need for endotracheal intubation, and hospital length of stay. There is probable benefit to the use of noninvasive ventilation in acute asthma, but the evidence to support this is far less robust than for COPD.

KEYWORDS

Asthma - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - hypoventilation - noninvasive ventilation

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David A BeutherM.D. 

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Jewish Health

1400 Jackson St., Denver, CO 80206

Email: beutherd@njhealth.org