There is a well-established evidence base for prescribing long-term oxygen therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and this has been extrapolated to management of hypoxaemia in other conditions such as interstitial lung disease and chronic pulmonary hypertension. Non-invasive ventilation reduces mortality in chronic stable hypercapnic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and those who remain persistently hypercapnic following an acute infective exacerbation. In patients with some neuromuscular disorders, non-invasive ventilation may increase survival and quality of life significantly. Few cardiovascular endpoints have been monitored systematically in these populations.
Non-invasive ventilation in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long term survival and predictors of in-hospital outcome
