positive pressure ventilation

Positive pressure ventilators help patients with respiratory problems to breathe easier. They use high pressure gas at the opening of the patients lungs in order to mobilize oxygen flow down the pressure gradient, and into the patient's lungs.

Spontaneous breathing usually happens because a negative pressure is created inside the lungs and air enters quickly to fill this lower pressure. With PPV the ventilator generates a positive pressure outside the patient. A breathing tube is inserted to achieve this.

The positive pressure ventilation is a method that consists in creating an air flow ("wind") by raising the pressure in a part of a device or building.

It is used to assist the respiration when it is inefficient

see Mechanical ventilation.

It is also used in fire fighting to push the smoke away. See Ventilation (firefighting)

See also

• Positive airway pressure
• Positive end-expiratory pressure

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