Final answer:
The most commonly applied mode of ventilation in ICU patients needing mechanical support is assist-control or synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV), which offers a balance between machine assistance and patient-initiated breathing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mode of ventilation most often applied to the intensive care unit patient needing mechanical ventilation is assist-control or synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV). These methods allow for the patient to initiate breaths but will also ensure that a set number of breaths are given by the machine if the patient's spontaneous effort is below a certain limit. Assist-control ventilation provides support for each breath the patient initiates, whereas SIMV sets a fixed number of controlled breaths while allowing spontaneous breathing in between.
This mode of ventilation is preferred because it offers both the support the patient needs and the flexibility to accommodate the patient's own respiratory efforts.
The control of ventilation is a complex interplay of multiple regions in the brain that signal muscles used in pulmonary ventilation to contract, thereby maintaining rhythm and ensuring consistent ventilation rates for optimal gas exchange in the body.