Understanding Ventilators, How They Work and How They Are Helping in the Fight Against COVID-19

Medical care and its various instruments and methods have been thrust into the spotlight over the past few months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the most widely discussed and controversial of these are ventilators. Glenmed Professional Healthcare Solutions explains what these machines do and how they help in the fight against COVID-19

What Makes Ventilators So Important?

Whether dealing with COVID-19 or any other condition, it is always preferable not to need to resort to the use of a ventilator. However, there are times when the only way to save a patient is through the respiratory support offered by a ventilator. Let’s look at what ventilators actually do and why they have become so important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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What Does a Ventilator Do?

A ventilator helps people dealing with severe respiratory distress by temporarily taking over the functions of the lungs. It pumps oxygen into the lungs and then pushes carbon dioxide out of them. For a person who has lost the ability to breathe effectively on their own, a ventilator is a vital piece of lifesaving equipment. Respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 make the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and the bloodstream difficult, because the lungs can become inflamed and filled with fluid. Ventilators enable this exchange by mechanical means. At its most basic, a ventilator consists of a pump and a tube. The tube is inserted down the throat of the patient and into the trachea. The pump works in two directions, pushing oxygen into the lungs and then withdrawing carbon dioxide from them.

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An Essential Tool in Beating COVID-19

Since COVID-19 presents, for the most part, as a severe respiratory infection, often leading to major breakdowns in lung function, ventilators are a very important tool in combatting the disease. It is important to not that ventilators cannot cure COVID-19. However, they can support the breathing of severely affected patients while the infection runs its course under medical care.

Some countries experienced severe shortages of ventilators at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, placing extreme pressure on the medical industry as it tried to deal with the influx of patients with respiratory distress. The supply of the machines was stepped up accordingly. Many medical practitioners maintain that a ventilator should be a last resort only and that other methods of respiratory support should be offered first. However, should the unfortunate need for a full mechanical lung support arise, it is always best to be well equipped.

Trust Glenmed for Quality Medical Equipment

Glenmed Professional Healthcare Solutions is a distributor of the world’s top healthcare technology brands, including Philips medical. Contact us for more information on ventilators and other essential medical solutions.

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