Introduction: noninvasive mechanical ventilation is a technique with a fan interface - patient through a nasal or facial mask. This reduces the morbidity associated with conventional mechanical ventilation associated with endotracheal intubation and sedation of the patient relaxation. Objectives: To assess morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV), in the General Intensive Care Unit (GICU) of Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia (HNCH) from June 2007 to May 2008. Material and method: We obtained data from the GICU files from June 2007 to May 2008. We recorded physiological values when beginning and finishing NIMV and we defined success and failure when using NIMV. Results: During the one-year study, 30 patients required NIMV, their average age was 49.7± 2 years, and 63.3 per cent were women. When NIMV was started, APACHE II sc...

Introduction: noninvasive mechanical ventilation is a technique with a fan interface - patient through a nasal or facial mask. This reduces the morbidity associated with conventional mechanical ventilation associated with endotracheal intubation and sedation of the patient relaxation. Objectives: To assess morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV), in the General Intensive Care Unit (GICU) of Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia (HNCH) from June 2007 to May 2008. Material and method: We obtained data from the GICU files from June 2007 to May 2008. We recorded physiological values when beginning and finishing NIMV and we defined success and failure when using NIMV. Results: During the one-year study, 30 patients required NIMV, their average age was 49.7± 2 years, and 63.3 per cent were women. When NIMV was started, APACHE II sc...