Mechanical Ventilation in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

Despite its life-saving potential, the mechanical ventilator has great potential to do harm. Despite years of research, the mortality in acute lung injury (ALI) remains very high. Treatment options after ALI onset are very limited, therefore prevention may be the best option. Unfortunately, the emergency department has not been studied with respect to mechanical ventilation practices, and its contribution to ALI is unknown. The investigators hypothesize that mechanical ventilation is frequently used in the ED and for a variety of reasons, and that ED mechanical ventilation has an effect on long term outcomes.