Pneumonia Associated with Mechanical Ventilation: Management and Preventive Aspects

Abstract

Introduction: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) constitutes a real iatrogenic health problem, which can lead to a higher rate of hospital admission days associated with the morbidity and mortality that it could cause. Objective: To study and learn about the different preventive measures used to reduce the incidence of VAP, as well as to study the microorganisms that most frequently cause VAP. To determine the nursing staff’s knowledge of this phenomenon and the social and health care costs derived from the disease. Methodology: The bibliographic search of the existing literature was carried out between November 2021 and June 2022. In order to gather all the necessary information, different databases were searched. For this purpose, a search strategy was developed using keywords included in “DeCS” and “MeSH” and using boolean operators such as “AND and OR”, and all articles meeting the chosen inclusion criteria were included. Results: After applying the article selection criteria and assessing the quality of the methodology, a total of 33 articles were finally included for systematic review. The results show the usefulness of various preventive measures against the micro-organisms that most frequently cause this type of pneumonia, as well as the true cost associated with this pathology and the still insufficient knowledge of healthcare personnel about it. Conclusion: Although many advances have reduced the incidence and mortality of this pathology, further research, training of healthcare personnel and implementation of new protocols are still required.