Describe APRV mode.

• A. Prolonged inspiration with T-high and P-low/PEEP set to 0
• B. Short inspiration with high PIP
• C. Volume control with fixed tidal volume
• D. Spontaneous breaths are not allowed

Answer: (A)

Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) is a two-pressure, time-cycled mode that keeps the alveoli open by spending most of the cycle at a high inspiratory pressure (T-high) and then briefly releasing to a much lower pressure (P-low) to permit exhalation. The emphasis is on a prolonged high-pressure hold to recruit and maintain lung units, followed by a short release to allow ventilation and CO2 elimination. Spontaneous breathing is allowed and can occur throughout the cycle, which helps with patient-ventilator synchrony and reduces sedation needs. This description matches the idea of a long inspiratory phase with a subsequent brief drop to a very low pressure, rather than a short inspiration, fixed tidal volume, or a mode that forbids spontaneous breaths.