Positive-Pressure Respiration, Intrinsic

**Definition:** Non-therapeutic positive end-expiratory pressure occurring frequently in patients with severe airway obstruction. It can appear with or without the administration of external positive end-expiratory pressure (POSITIVE-PRESSURE RESPIRATION). It presents an important load on the inspiratory muscles which are operating at a mechanical disadvantage due to hyperinflation. Auto-PEEP may cause profound hypotension that should be treated by intravascular volume expansion, increasing the time for expiration, and/or changing from assist mode to intermittent mandatory ventilation mode. (From Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 12th ed, p1127)

**Tree numbers:** - C08.618.846.688

**Synonyms:** - Positive-Pressure Respiration, Nontherapeutic - Respiration, Nontherapeutic Positive-Pressure - Auto-PEEP - AutoPEEP - PEEP, Intrinsic - Non-Therapeutic Positive-Pressure Respiration - Positive-Pressure Respiration, Non-Therapeutic - Respiration, Non-Therapeutic Positive-Pressure - PEEP, Occult - Nontherapeutic Positive-Pressure Respiration - Positive-Pressure Respiration, Occult