For a patient needing increased volume in each breath, which ventilation variable can be adjusted for improvement?

• A. Increase the mandatory rate
• B. Increase tidal volume
• C. Decrease PEEP
• D. Increase FiO2

Answer: (B)

Increasing tidal volume is the appropriate variable to adjust for a patient needing increased volume in each breath. Tidal volume refers to the amount of air that is inhaled or exhaled during normal breathing. By increasing this volume, more air is delivered to the alveoli with each breath, enhancing gas exchange and improving oxygenation and ventilation.

In mechanical ventilation settings, adjusting the tidal volume can directly affect the adequacy of ventilation, especially in patients who may have restrictive lung disease or conditions that limit their ability to take deep breaths on their own. This adjustment is crucial for ensuring that the patient receives a sufficient volume of air to meet their respiratory needs.

While increasing the mandatory rate can also improve overall ventilation, it doesn't specifically address the need for increased volume per breath, as it merely increases the frequency of breaths without necessarily increasing the volume of each breath. Similarly, decreasing PEEP could potentially increase tidal volume by allowing a larger lung expansion during inhalation but does not directly modify the volume breathed per breath cycle. Increasing FiO2 focuses on the oxygen concentration in the air but does not change the volume of air being ventilated. Each of these options is relevant in a broader context of respiratory management, but increasing tidal volume directly meets the need for increased volume in