What’s the Difference between…
A VENTILATOR AND A RESPIRATOR?
Throughout the coronavirus crisis, you’ve likely heard about dire shortages of both ventilators and respirators. And while yes, they both sound important and also like things vaguely having something to do with lungs/air/breathing, they’re actually two very different pieces of equipment.
Ventilators are machines that assist patients who can’t breathe or have trouble breathing on their own. They perform two critical functions: they help get enough oxygen into a patient’s bloodstream, and they clear out carbon dioxide. To set up a ventilator, a medical professional places an endotracheal tube into a patient’s mouth or nose and down their windpipe — a process called intubation. The tube is connected to the machine, which pushes air in and out of the patient’s lungs. Ventilators allow doctors to decide the level of oxygen a patient receives and at what pressure and volume a patient receives it, and they’re mainly used in intensive-care settings and operating rooms.
Respirators are mask-like devices that go over the mouth and nose and prevent the wearer from inhaling noxious substances. They’re a form of PPE (personal protective equipment), a category that includes gloves, gowns, and goggles. Healthcare workers need respirators — like N-95 respiratory masks, for example — as protection when dealing with coronavirus patients. N-95 masks filter out 95% of very small (0.3 micron-sized) particles, and have a closer fit around the nose and mouth than typical medical or surgical masks. While N95s are usually worn only once before being replaced, the current shortage has prompted some hospitals to require staff to reuse the same mask over multiple shifts.
Confusingly, ventilators are also sometimes called respirators— so in a medical setting, make sure to clarify the piece of equipment someone is referring to.Throughout the coronavirus crisis, you’ve likely heard about dire shortages of both ventilators and respirators. And while yes, they both sound important and also like things vaguely having something to do with lungs/air/breathing, they’re actually two very different pieces of equipment.
Ventilators are machines that assist patients who can’t breathe or have trouble breathing on their own. They perform two critical functions: they help get enough oxygen into a patient’s bloodstream, and they clear out carbon dioxide. To set up a ventilator, a medical professional places an endotracheal tube into a patient’s mouth or nose and down their windpipe — a process called intubation. The tube is connected to the machine, which pushes air in and out of the patient’s lungs. Ventilators allow doctors to decide the level of oxygen a patient receives and at what pressure and volume a patient receives it, and they’re mainly used in intensive-care settings and operating rooms.
Respirators are mask-like devices that go over the mouth and nose and prevent the wearer from inhaling noxious substances. They’re a form of PPE (personal protective equipment), a category that includes gloves, gowns, and goggles. Healthcare workers need respirators — like N-95 respiratory masks, for example — as protection when dealing with coronavirus patients. N-95 masks filter out 95% of very small (0.3 micron-sized) particles, and have a closer fit around the nose and mouth than typical medical or surgical masks. While N95s are usually worn only once before being replaced, the current shortage has prompted some hospitals to require staff to reuse the same mask over multiple shifts.
Confusingly, ventilators are also sometimes called respirators— so in a medical setting, make sure to clarify the piece of equipment someone is referring to.
Ventilators are machines that assist patients who can’t breathe or have trouble breathing on their own. They perform two critical functions: they help get enough oxygen into a patient’s bloodstream, and they clear out carbon dioxide. To set up a ventilator, a medical professional places an endotracheal tube into a patient’s mouth or nose and down their windpipe — a process called intubation. The tube is connected to the machine, which pushes air in and out of the patient’s lungs. Ventilators allow doctors to decide the level of oxygen a patient receives and at what pressure and volume a patient receives it, and they’re mainly used in intensive-care settings and operating rooms.
Respirators are mask-like devices that go over the mouth and nose and prevent the wearer from inhaling noxious substances. They’re a form of PPE (personal protective equipment), a category that includes gloves, gowns, and goggles. Healthcare workers need respirators — like N-95 respiratory masks, for example — as protection when dealing with coronavirus patients. N-95 masks filter out 95% of very small (0.3 micron-sized) particles, and have a closer fit around the nose and mouth than typical medical or surgical masks. While N95s are usually worn only once before being replaced, the current shortage has prompted some hospitals to require staff to reuse the same mask over multiple shifts.
Confusingly, ventilators are also sometimes called respirators— so in a medical setting, make sure to clarify the piece of equipment someone is referring to.Throughout the coronavirus crisis, you’ve likely heard about dire shortages of both ventilators and respirators. And while yes, they both sound important and also like things vaguely having something to do with lungs/air/breathing, they’re actually two very different pieces of equipment.
Ventilators are machines that assist patients who can’t breathe or have trouble breathing on their own. They perform two critical functions: they help get enough oxygen into a patient’s bloodstream, and they clear out carbon dioxide. To set up a ventilator, a medical professional places an endotracheal tube into a patient’s mouth or nose and down their windpipe — a process called intubation. The tube is connected to the machine, which pushes air in and out of the patient’s lungs. Ventilators allow doctors to decide the level of oxygen a patient receives and at what pressure and volume a patient receives it, and they’re mainly used in intensive-care settings and operating rooms.
Respirators are mask-like devices that go over the mouth and nose and prevent the wearer from inhaling noxious substances. They’re a form of PPE (personal protective equipment), a category that includes gloves, gowns, and goggles. Healthcare workers need respirators — like N-95 respiratory masks, for example — as protection when dealing with coronavirus patients. N-95 masks filter out 95% of very small (0.3 micron-sized) particles, and have a closer fit around the nose and mouth than typical medical or surgical masks. While N95s are usually worn only once before being replaced, the current shortage has prompted some hospitals to require staff to reuse the same mask over multiple shifts.
Confusingly, ventilators are also sometimes called respirators— so in a medical setting, make sure to clarify the piece of equipment someone is referring to.
About The Author
What\’s the Difference is a newsletter created by Brette Warshaw, a consultant and writer living in New York City. She has worked with companies such as RAMONA, OpenTable, LIVELY, Food52, and Open Society, and she was the Chief Operating Officer of the late cult food magazine Lucky Peach. She studied history and creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania, and wrote her thesis on Jell-O marketing in the Great Depression. In her spare time, she enjoys throwing dinner parties and organizing her pantry.