Saunders Respiratory Practice

A ventilator is typically used in clinical settings to assist or control breathing for patients who are experiencing critical respiratory failure or significant difficulty in breathing due to various underlying conditions. The correct answer reflects the scenarios where ventilators are needed for patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and severe pneumonia, both of which can severely impair gas exchange and oxygenation.

In ARDS, the lungs become inflamed and filled with fluid, severely inhibiting their ability to provide oxygen to the bloodstream. Severe pneumonia can similarly lead to extensive lung consolidation, where alveoli become filled with fluid, leading to impaired gas exchange. In these cases, mechanical ventilation is essential to help patients breathe adequately, deliver sufficient oxygen, and remove carbon dioxide from their bodies.

Other options suggest inappropriate or less critical use of a ventilator. For example, mild coughs do not warrant mechanical ventilation as they often do not impede the body's ability to maintain adequate respiratory exchange. Chronic lung conditions can sometimes require ventilatory support, but only in specific exacerbations or crises, not as a routine. Lastly, ventilators are not used when patients exhibit no symptoms, as they require active respiratory intervention due to the lack of respiratory distress. This highlights the targeted nature of mechanical ventilation for severe, life-threatening