New NAEMSP Position Statement on CPAP

The National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) has released an official Position Statement on the use of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation.  This statement states “The NAEMSP believes that noninvasive positive pressure ventilation is an important treatment modality for the prehospital management of acute dyspnea”.  The full statement can be viewed in the association’s journal Prehospital Emergency Care 2011;15:418.  With the publication of this important statement is a resource document written by Drs. Daily and Wang.  This document expands on the clinical use of mask CPAP and noninvasive pressure ventilation.

These documents represent an important validation of the use of mask CPAP and noninvasive pressure ventilation in the care of all patients with moderate to severe respiratory distress in the prehospital area.  These tools have shown to reduce field intubation, improve patient care and lower hospital costs.  We recommend a thorough reading of these documents.  They have been added to our mask CPAP bibliography, which can be viewed here.