PEEPähnlich

PEEPähnlich is a German term used in respiratory care and critical care to describe effects that resemble positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) without an explicit PEEP setting. It denotes a situation where airway pressure or recruitment at the end of expiration is maintained by mechanisms other than a defined PEEP level, resulting in a similar influence on lung volume and gas exchange.

The concept covers several scenarios. Auto-PEEP (intrinsic PEEP) occurs when air trapping and incomplete exhalation create residual pressure at end expiration, producing PEEP-like effects. Noninvasive and invasive ventilation modes can also yield PEEPähnlich effects through continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), pressure support ventilation with sufficient expiratory resistance, or intermittent recruitment maneuvers that elevate end-expiratory lung volume. The key distinction is that PEEPähnlich describes the outcome (a PEEP-like pressure effect) rather than a deliberately set PEEP value.

Clinically, PEEPähnlich can improve alveolar recruitment, oxygenation, and functional residual capacity, but it may also increase intrathoracic pressure, reduce venous return, and risk hyperinflation if not monitored. Its presence is typically inferred from ventilator waveforms, end-expiratory lung volumes, and gas exchange measurements rather than a fixed setting.

Assessment often involves examining expiratory flow curves, airway pressures, and end-expiratory lung volume, with attention to conditions that cause inadvertent air trapping or unintended PEEP-like effects. Understanding PEEPähnlich helps clinicians optimize ventilation strategies while avoiding adverse hemodynamic or pulmonary consequences. See also PEEP, auto-PEEP, CPAP, and noninvasive ventilation.