Ventilator associated pneumonias affect critically ill patients and pose a therapeutic challenge in the setting of multidrug resistant organisms. Diagnostic criteria, management and preventive strategies have been discussed. Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is a serious illness that develops in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation. They constitute 86% of nosocomial pneumonias and are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates.
Definition of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia By definition, VAP is pneumonia which develops in a patient at or more than 48 hours after intubation and has supportive clinical, radiographic and laboratory evidences. Categories of VAP Depending on the onset of signs and symptoms VAP has been categorised as Early onset VAP that occurs 48 to 96 hours after intubation Late onset VAP that occurs more than 96 hours after intubation. Though…
