TY - JOUR T1 - Ventilator-Induced Diaphragmatic Dysfunction: Diagnosis and Role of Pharmacological Agents JF - Respiratory Care SP - 1485 LP - 1491 DO - 10.4187/respcare.05622 VL - 62 IS - 11 AU - Won-Young Kim AU - Chae-Man Lim Y1 - 2017/11/01 UR - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/62/11/1485.abstract N2 - The use of controlled mechanical ventilation results in a major reduction of diaphragmatic contractile force together with atrophy of diaphragm muscle fibers, which is a condition known as ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction. Ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction is one of the major contributors to weaning difficulties and even increased mortality. This review summarizes the current data on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction, and it outlines the use of ultrasonography for diaphragm evaluation. In addition, current pharmacologic agents used to mitigate ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction are described, with a particular emphasis on the therapeutic potential of theophylline in patients with ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction-associated weaning difficulties. ER -