What is a disadvantage of Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV)?

Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) allows for spontaneous breathing while providing positive airway pressure, but one of its notable disadvantages is gas trapping during short exhalation periods. In this mode of ventilation, the patient is allowed to breathe spontaneously during the release periods, but if the exhalation time is insufficient, it can lead to incomplete exhalation, resulting in the retention of carbon dioxide and increased lung volume, also known as gas trapping. This can be especially problematic for patients with obstructive lung diseases or those who have difficulty exhaling effectively.

The other options do not accurately reflect drawbacks of APRV. While it may not lead to increased compliance in all patients, it's not inherently designed to do so. Continuous sedation is often not required when using APRV as it promotes patient autonomy and spontaneous breathing, which can reduce the need for sedation compared to other more invasive ventilation strategies. Lastly, APRV is not universally applicable as its efficacy can vary significantly based on individual patient conditions, making it more suitable for certain patient populations than others.