Mech Vent alarms

Increased amount of secretions in the airways or mucous plug

The patient coughs, gags, or bites on the oral ET tube.

The pt is anxious or fights the ventilator

Airway size decreases realted to wheezing or bronchospasm

Pneumothorax occurs

The artificial airway is displaced; the ET tube may have slipped into the right mainstem bronchus.

Obstruction in tubing occurs because the patient is lying on the tubing or there is water or a kink in the tubing.

Increased PIP associated with deliverance of a sigh

Decreased compliance of the lung is noted; a trend of gradually increasing PIP is noted over several hours or a day.

Sounds when PIP reaches the set alarm limit

Sounds when there is a disconnection or leak in the ventilator circuit or a leak in the patient's artificial airway cuff.

A leak in the ventilator circuit prevents breath from being delivered

The patient stops spontaneous breathing in the SIMV or CPAP mode or on pressure support ventilation.

A cuff leak occurs in the ET or tracheostomy tube