Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the appropriateness of the American Heart Association guidelines for determining tidal volume (TV) based on the actual pulmonary capacity of Korean adults. It also assessed the awareness and application of predict...
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the appropriateness of the American Heart Association guidelines for determining tidal volume (TV) based on the actual pulmonary capacity of Korean adults. It also assessed the awareness and application of predicted body weight (PBW) in ventilation training.
Methods: A mixed methods design was used. Spirometry-based TV measurements were collected from 44 Korean adults (29 males and 15 females) with prior ventilation education. A structured survey of 104 participants was conducted to assess their understanding of PBW. PBW was calculated using the National Institutes of Health and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network (ARDSNet) formulas, and measured TV values were compared with PBW-based reference values.
Results: Most respondents (>90%) lacked awareness of PBW and tended to estimate the appropriate TV based on actual body weight rather than height-based PBW. Based on spirometry measurements, the average TV for Korean males was 6.66 mL/kg and that for females was 7.52 mL/kg, both within the ARDSNet guideline range of 6-8 mL/kg. However, females with smaller-than-average body size (<162 cm) tended to have relatively lower TV values, suggesting that applying a fixed ventilation volume of 500-600 mL may lead to overventilation in this group.
Conclusion: Although the ARDSNet guideline is generally applicable, fixed-volume ventilation may risk overventilation in shorter Korean adults, particularly women. Integrating PBW-based education into cardiopulmonary resuscitation and ventilation training is essential to promote individualized, safe, and effective respiratory care.