
With ventilators running out, doctors say the machines are overused for Covid-19 - smacktoward
https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/08/doctors-say-ventilators-overused-for-covid-19/
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rootusrootus
Looking at the announcements about alternate manufacturers starting to turn
out 10s of thousands of vents, I think we're about to be drowning in the
things. Especially as it becomes apparent that for many patients a vent is the
wrong answer after all.

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redis_mlc
I've been following the whole ventilator fiasco for weeks, esp. since they
have a 66% - 90% mortality rate with corona.

This is one of the best articles by far.

A summary is:

\- corona's effect on the lungs resembles altitude sickness, not common
diseases

\- stay on a cannula, cpap or bipap as long as possible, preferably at home

\- US doctors are choosing ventilators to prevent aerosol contamination, at
the expense of patients' lives.

AMA.

~~~
rootusrootus
> AMA

Alright ;-). For someone who already owns a CPAP for sleep apnea, is it of any
use should they get infected with corona?

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dragonsngoblins
I have a BPAP for sleep apnoea, and am also curious to know this.

~~~
redis_mlc
Yes to CPAP and BIPAP, for a couple of reasons:

1) Because corona is like altitude sickness, even a little more oxygen in the
bloodstream may be sufficient.

Chinese doctors recommend and have been using cannulas, CPAPs and BIPAPs.

2) Because ventilator intubation and required anesthetics for out to 21 days
is basically a death sentence with 66& to 90% mortality, cannulas, CPAPs and
BIPAPs are much better.

There are many health problems with ventilators, but forcing air under high
pressure into your lungs turns them to mush.

The issue with cannulas, CPAPs an BIPAPs is that a breathing corona patient
infects bystanders, so in your bedroom you'd want to avoid using AC/heating
vents (use a window or quartz heater) and tell your housemates to wear a mask.

Good Lancet summary from a Chinese hospital:
[https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2...](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600\(20\)30079-5/fulltext)

The patients on ventilators might be sicker, but they definitely have
extremely high mortality.

Doctors are looking at how to interpret blood gases to better understand which
kind of breathing assistance is actually needed, rather than automatically
reaching for a ventilator.

~~~
dragonsngoblins
Thanks, this is pretty interesting stuff

