Typical scenario
- Asthma/COPD crash airway after intubation.
- High minute ventilation demand with insufficient expiratory time.
- Dyssynchrony or agitation causing stacked breaths.
Vent control
Obstructive setup for auto-PEEP
Asthma/COPD/bronchospasm plus high RR is a setup for dynamic hyperinflation.
Open obstruction branchBronchospasm, secretions, tube/circuit.Hypoxia + stackingObstructive rescue branch.
Clinical review / use limits
Authored by: Airway of the Month education team. Last reviewed: July 2026. Audience: EM learners, faculty, EMS, RT, simulation educators, and airway teams.
This is an educational cognitive-aid scaffold, not a bedside order set. Verify medications, ventilator changes, pediatric dosing, and procedures against local ED, ICU, anesthesia, pharmacy, RT, EMS, and pediatric policies.
Resources · Editorial policy · ACEP intubation policy · ARDS ventilation reference