A 64-year old man who sustained many episodes of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema successfully treated with Boussignac continuous positive airway pressure: A case report

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is standard treatment for patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema. We describe a patient who had 21 episodes of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema due to very poor patient compliance. This 64-year old man had end-stage congestive heart failure based on systolic left ventricular dysfunction following two myocardial infarctions. In addition to routine medical treatment 15 episodes of pulmonary edema were successfully treated with Boussignac continuous positive airway pressure (BCPAP). The BCPAP system is a simple, disposable, FDA-approved device that delivers positive pressure without a ventilator. This extraordinary case underscores the utility of the BCPAP system to avoid repeated intubation and mechanical ventilation in patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.