What ventilator mode may be switched to in a patient when they are breathing spontaneously?

In patients who are breathing spontaneously, the synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) mode can be particularly beneficial. This mode allows the patient to take spontaneous breaths while still receiving mandatory mechanical breaths that are synchronized with their own respiratory efforts. This can help to reduce the work of breathing and promote patient comfort, as the ventilator assists during those periods when the patient is unable to initiate a breath or requires additional support.

In SIMV, the ventilator provides a preset number of breaths at a specified tidal volume, but it also allows the patient to take breath on their own without a mandatory assistance during those times. This flexibility can help wean patients off mechanical ventilation while still ensuring that they receive enough support according to their needs.

The other modes, while potentially effective under different circumstances, do not provide the same level of support for spontaneous breathing. Assist-control mode primarily assists every breath, regardless of whether the patient initiates it. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) supports patients who are breathing spontaneously but does not deliver mechanical breaths, and volume control is typically used for fully controlled patients without any spontaneous breathing efforts.