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.

Antonio M. Esquinas, MD, PhD, works at the Intensive Care Unit and Non-invasive Ventilatory Unit at Hospital General Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain. Prior to taking up this position in January 2013, he worked at the Departments of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Dr. Esquinas is a fellow of the College of Chest Physicians and an international fellow of the American Association of Respiratory Care. He is the director of the International School of Non-invasive Mechanical Ventilation and president of the International Association of NIV and the Ibero-American Association of  Bioethics in NIV. He is the author of well over 945 scientific publications, including almost  600 articles,  and 47 books.

Nicola Vargas works as a geriatrician at the Geriatric and Geriatric Intensive Care Departments of the High Survey Hospital of Avellino, Italy. After graduating with honors from Naples 'Federico II' University, Dr. Vargas completed his medical residency at the Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of Parma, Italy. He completed his medical residency as an intensive care physician at the Institute of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, University 'Federico II', Naples, Italy. His work mainly focuses on the field of emergency and intensive care medicine, especially geriatric intensive care. Moreover he is interested in the elderly population's health problems. He is the author of numerous publications and meetings communications.