[Non invasive ventilation in the emergency setting].

Before the development of non invasive ventilation (NIV), endotracheal intubation was the only ventilatory therapy available in case of severe respiratory distress and acute respiratory failure. NIV used to be employed in intensive care settings only. Nowadays, the use of NIV has been democratized to include the emergency room, and the pre-hospital care setting for treatment of acute respiratory failure. Cardiogenic pulmonary edema and acute exacerbation of COPD are indications of choice, since NIV improves mortality. The efficiency of the therapy depends on early treatment; however, endotracheal intubation should not be delayed when it becomes necessary.