Effect of intermittent positive pressure breathing on steady state chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract

The literature on the acute and chronic effects of IPPB on pulmonary gas exchange is reviewed. Intermittent positive pressure breathing generally produces hyperventilation that is less costly in terms of O2 consumption than comparable voluntary hyperventilation. However, IPPB may decrease the uniformity of ventilation/perfusion ratios and appears to have little effect on ventilation distribution. Perfusion distribution has been studied little, but the usual finding of an increased physiologic dead space/tidal volume ratio suggests an adverse effect on perfusion. There is little evidence in the literature that long-term use of IPPB is beneficial, and there is a suggestion that it might be deleterious.