What will you do if the ventilator alarms a high-pressure alarm? What is the cause?

The most often detected cause of a high airway pressure alarm are the following:

• Kinks in the patient circuit or tracheostomy tube

• Water in the ventilator circuit
• Increased or thicker mucus or other secretions blocking the airway (caused by not enough
humidity)
• Bronchospasm
• Coughing, gagging, or “fighting” the ventilator breath.
•
The things that need to do if there is a high-pressure alarm:
1. Examine patient and ventilator waveforms. If evidence of dyssynchrony (e.g. grimacing, biting
the ETT, double triggering), increase sedation.
2. Listen for breath sounds. Rule out pneumothorax, bronchospasm, ETT migration and apply
appropriate treatment.
3. Rule out obstruction from secretions. Use in line suctioning.
4. Perform an inspiratory pause. Alarm may be due to decrease in compliance
5. Examine the circuit. Rule out kinked ventilator tubing, condensation, clogged filter. Avoid
disconnecting the circuit if possible.

Williams LM & Sharma S. (2021). Ventilator Safety. Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526044/