Auto-PEEP results in which of the following?

Auto-PEEP results in which of the following?

• A. Increased end-expiratory pressure in the alveoli
• B. Decreased respiratory rate
• C. Reduced tidal volume
• D. Decreased oxygen saturation

Answer: (A)

Auto-PEEP, or intrinsic PEEP, happens when air gets trapped in the lungs because expiration ends before the lungs are fully emptied. With short expiratory time or high airway resistance, some gas remains in the alveoli at the end of expiration, raising the pressure inside the lungs. That increased end-expiratory pressure in the alveoli is the hallmark of auto-PEEP. The other effects listed aren’t the defining feature: respiratory rate and tidal volume aren’t what auto-PEEP changes by itself, and while oxygen saturation can be affected indirectly, the primary characteristic is the higher end-expiratory pressure.

Auto-PEEP, or intrinsic PEEP, happens when air gets trapped in the lungs because expiration ends before the lungs are fully emptied. With short expiratory time or high airway resistance, some gas remains in the alveoli at the end of expiration, raising the pressure inside the lungs. That increased end-expiratory pressure in the alveoli is the hallmark of auto-PEEP. The other effects listed aren’t the defining feature: respiratory rate and tidal volume aren’t what auto-PEEP changes by itself, and while oxygen saturation can be affected indirectly, the primary characteristic is the higher end-expiratory pressure.