Book excerpt: Mechanical Ventilation provides students and clinicians concerned with the care of patients requiring mechanical ventilatory support a comprehensive guide to the evaluation of the critically ill patient, assessment of respiratory failure, indications for mechanical ventilation, initiation of mechanical ventilatory support, patient stabilization, monitoring and ventilator discontinuance. The text begins with an introduction to critical respiratory care followed by a review of respiratory failure to include assessment of oxygenation, ventilation and acid-base status. A chapter is provided which reviews principles of mechanical ventilation and commonly used ventilators and related equipment. Indications for mechanical ventilation are next discussed to include invasive and non-invasive ventilation. Ventilator commitment is then described to include establishment of the airway, choice of ventilator, mode of ventilation, and initial ventilator settings. Patient stabilization is then discu