A Medical Research and Evaluation Facility (MREF) and Studies Supporting the Medical Chemical Defense Program. Respiratory Casualty Care Management in the Field Medical Environment

Abstract : Task 97-48 was conducted in two phases: 1) develop a 72-hr anesthetized, ventilated respiratory casualty swine model and 2) assess treatment efficacy of a) 10-15 cm of water positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) with 45 percent oxygen, b) Ibuprofen (IBU), and c) n-acetyl- cysteine (NAC). The early diagnostic capability for pulmonary edema (PE) using the impedance cardiograph was evaluated in Phase II. Phosgene (CG) was selected as the respiratory insult and exposures ranged from 250 to 1000 mg(mg/m(3) for 10 minutes. A CO exposure concentration of 450 m%mg/m(3) over a 10 nun exposure (4,500 mg/min/m(3)), a challenge estimated to be lethal to 85 percent, was selected for evaluating treatment efficacies.