The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pressure threshold inspiratory muscle trainer on inspiratory muscle strength, endurance and weaning rate of ventilator-dependent patients. We conducted an intervention-based study at a regional hospital in Eastern Taiwan. A training program was designed to improve the strength and endurance of the inspiratory muscle, with an aim to assist weaning from the ventilator. Thirty subjects included patients with tracheostomy who were dependent on mechanical ventilators without other medical complications were recruited. The study subjects were then randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups. The duration of the training protocol was four weeks. The data showed that significant improvement of maximal peak inspiratory pressure and inspiratory muscle endurance (p<.05) in the intervention group. There was no statistically significant difference in the weaning rate between these two groups. This article provided more information to health professionals for weaning management of ventilator-dependent patients.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pressure threshold inspiratory muscle trainer on inspiratory muscle strength, endurance and weaning rate of ventilator-dependent patients. We conducted an intervention-based study at a regional hospital in Eastern Taiwan. A training program was designed to improve the strength and endurance of the inspiratory muscle, with an aim to assist weaning from the ventilator. Thirty subjects included patients with tracheostomy who were dependent on mechanical ventilators without other medical complications were recruited. The study subjects were then randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups. The duration of the training protocol was four weeks. The data showed that significant improvement of maximal peak inspiratory pressure and inspiratory muscle endurance (p<.05) in the intervention group. There was no statistically significant difference in the weaning rate between these two groups. This article provided more information to health professionals for weaning management of ventilator-dependent patients.