Table 3.

Initial Ventilator Settings in Obstructive Lung Disease

Setting	Recommendation
Respiratory Rate	8–14 Breaths/min
PEEP	0–5 cm H2O
Tidal volume	6–8 mL/kg ideal body weight
Plateau pressure	<30 cm H2O
Permissive hypercapnia if no contraindications (i.e., pulmonary hypertension, brain injury, etc.)	Tolerate pH ≥ 7.20

Data from Manthous, Weingart, Mosier et al., and Leatherman (24,28,49,53).