Pulmonary Vascular Dysfunction Induced by High Tidal Volume Mechanical Ventilation*

Objectives: Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome are characterized by increased pulmonary artery pressure and ventilation-perfusion mismatch. We analyzed the changes in the pulmonary vascular function in a model of ventilator-induced acute lung injury. Design: Controlled in vivo laboratory study. Setting: Animal research laboratory. Subjects: Anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats. Interventions: Rats were ventilated for 120...