Your diaphragm is the major muscle used for breathing.
The average number of breaths a minute is 12 to 20 for adults.1 Babies and children breathe faster.2 Many factors can affect this rate.
If your respiratory muscles can’t do the work of effective breathing, a ventilator can do it for you.
A ventilator helps a patient breathe in oxygen and blow out carbon dioxide. Depending on the patient’s condition, a ventilator can be set up to do some or all of the work for the patient’s breathing.
Depending on a patient’s needs, a ventilator may be used at certain times during the day, only at night, or around the clock. Some patients may need a ventilator for a short recovery period, like after surgery or a traumatic injury. Others require long-term use of a ventilator and their needs could change based on the illness they have.
The information and guidance presented on this website is informational only and not intended to influence practice or supersede the instructions for use of any specific device.
