Ventilator May Increase Risk of Death From COVID-19 – Dr Mercola

COVID-19 patients who are put on ventilators have an increased risk of death. It may turn out that ventilators are inappropriate for a majority of patients
Doctors at UChicago Medicine report “truly remarkable” results using high-flow nasal cannulas (HFNC) in lieu of ventilators. Of 24 COVID-19 patients who were in respiratory distress, only one required intubation after 10 days of HFNC
A more complicated treatment strategy that’s showing promise is membrane oxygenation (ECMO), in which the patient’s blood is oxygenated outside the body before pumped back into circulation. ECMO is recommended for relatively young patients with few comorbidities who fail to respond to ventilator treatment
Mechanical ventilation can easily damage the lungs as it’s pushing air into the lungs with force. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) may be a better alternative, as it allows your body to absorb a higher percentage of oxygen without forcing air into the lungs
Chinese doctors report “promising results” after treating five COVID-19 patients with HBOT and NYU Langone Health is currently recruiting COVID-19 patients for a study comparing HBOT to standard of care alone

via Dr Mercola Ventilator May Increase Risk of Death From COVID-19