VENTILATOR
VENTILATOR Ventilators are sometimes called "respirators" A ventilator is a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs , to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators are computerized microprocessor-controlled machines, but patients can also be ventilated with a simple, hand-operated bag valve mask . Ventilators are chiefly used in intensive-care medicine , home care , and emergency medicine (as standalone units) and in anesthesiology (as a component of an anesthesia machine ). Ventilators are sometimes called "respirators", a term commonly used for them in the 1950s (particularly the "Bird respirator" ). However, contemporary hospital and medical terminology uses the word " respirator " to refer instead to a face-mask that protects wearers against hazardous airborne substances.