Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation: Increasing use in acute care.

In the past 2 decades, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has been increasingly used in acute respiratory failure to avoid the risks associated with intubation. It is now considered standard first-line therapy in several situations. In this review, we summarize how NIPPV has evolved, the current level of evidence that supports its use in various clinical situations, its potential contraindications, and its limitations in acute respiratory failure.