This book provides readers with a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to non-invasive mechanical ventilation in palliative medicine, focusing on why and when it may be necessary. Physicians will find a practical guide to this specific context, particularly focused on pulmonary function and physiology in the elderly, and on ventilatory management in surgery and chronic stable conditions. The book provides detailed information on the rationale for invasive and non-invasive ventilation, the different modes of ventilation, indications and contraindications, prognostic factors, and outcomes. It addresses in detail the role of postoperative mechanical ventilation following various forms of surgery, and discusses key aspects of withdrawal from ventilatory support. Attention is also devoted to the use of mechanical ventilation within and beyond the ICU. The concluding part of the book focuses on important topics such as ethics, legal issues, home mechanical ventilation, drug therapy,  rehabilitation and end-of-life.

Its multidisciplinary approach, bringing together contributions from international experts in different specialties, ensures that the book will be of interest to a broad range of health professionals involved in the management of older patients admitted to the ICU, including intensivists, anesthesiologists, and geriatricians.

Part I. Pulmonary Function and Physiology in Elderly

Chapter 1. Spontaneous Breathing Pattern
Chapter 2. Gas Exchange and Control of Breathing in Elderly and End -of -Life Diseases
Part II. Ventilatory Managemenrt Eidemiology and Trend Management
Chapter 3. Acute And Acute-on-Chronic Respiratory Failure: Impact of Chronic Lung Comorbidities
Chapter 4. Chronic Cardiac Disorders
Chapter 5. Acute Respiratory Failure and Infections in Elderly Patients
Chapter 6. Neurologic and Psychiatric Disorders
Part III. Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure
Chapter 7. Definitions, Criteria and Management of NIV for Very Old Patients with Limitations to Respiratory Care
Chapter 8. Ventilatory Support and Oxygen Therapy in The Elderly Palliative and End-of-Life Care Patients
Part IV. Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure
Chapter 9. NIV Application
Chapter 10. Oxygen Therapy and Nasal High Flow Therapy
Chapter 11. Medical Conditions
Chapter 12. Pneumonia
Chapter 13. Acute Chronic Insufficiency
Chapter 14. Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure in Immunocompromised Patients: the Role of Non-Invasive Ventilation and High Flow Oxygen Therapy
Chapter 15. Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure - Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Part V. Surgery and Chronic Stable Conditions
Chapter 16. NIV After Cardiothoracic Surgery and Thoracic Surgery
Chapter 17. Nocturnal NIV in COPD Patients with Prolonged Hypercapnia after Ventilatory Support for Acute Respiratory Failure
Part VI. COMPLEMENTARY USE OF NIV
Chapter 18. Use of NIV in Non-Surgery Procedures in Elderly (Sedation, Bronchoscopy, Gastroscopy).-Chapter 19. Use of NIV in Surgery Procedures in Elderly (Non-Invasive Surgery). Continuous Spinal Anesthesia
Part VII. Invasive Mechanical Ventilation
Chapter 20. Mechanical Ventilation-Specific Surgery Conditions
Chapter 21. Extubation And Reintubation Conditions
Chapter 22. Ventilatory Modes - PS And Other Ventilatory Options
Part VIII. Weaning and Management
Chapter 23. Weaning Mechanical Ventilation
Chapter 24. Rehabilitation In Critical Illness And Palliative Care
Chapter 25. Sedation and Analgesia in Mechanical Ventilation
 Chapter 26. Management Elderly Patients With Acute Neurologic Syndrome (Delirium Agitation)
Part IX. Discharge and Home Mechanical Ventilation
Chapter 27. Home Discharge. Planning, Policies And Impact On Hospital Admission And Outcome
Chapter 28. Home Mechanical Ventilation
Chapter 29. The Role of Non-Invasive Home Mechanical Ventilation in Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Part X. Ventilatory Management in Outcome
30. Predictors of Outcome of NIV in Elder, Palliative and End-of-Life Care Patients
Chapter 31. Prognosis Following Acute Exacerbation of COPD Treated with Non-Invasive Mechanical Ventilation
Chapter 32. Readmission elderly Critically Patients
Part XI. Ventilatory Management in End Life Applications
Chapter 33. End-Of-Life Care Of Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Chapter 34. Hospital Organizations Management Acute Respiratory Failure
Chapter 35. Hospital Organizations of ARF in Elderly
Chapter 36. NIV in Palliative Medicine and End-of-Life Care: The Perspectives of Patients, Families and Clinicians
Chapter 37. Legal Issues (Surrogacy Laws, Informed Consent)
Part XII. Ventilatory Management in Palliative Medicine
Chapter 38. Neuromuscular Patients (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And Other Condictions)
Chapter 39. Non-Neuromuscular Patients (Kyphoscoliosis)
Chapter 40. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Chapter 41. Respiratory failure and the critically ill cancer patient
Chapter 42. Recommendations for Noninvasive ventilation on survival and quality of life
Chapter 43. Quality of life and complications after percutaneous tracheostomy
Chapter 44. The concept of Quality of Life in Elderly patients and advanced stages
Chapter 45. Recommandations and consensus: European and non-European perspectives.