Saudi Guideline for Mechanical Ventilation in Adults – Executive Summary
The Saudi Guideline for Mechanical Ventilation in Adults presents evidence-based recommendations for the care of adults requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Fourteen priority clinical questions address ventilatory strategies for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), adjunctive and rescue therapies, sedation and weaning practices, airway management, and supportive ICU care. Strong recommendations support low-tidal-volume ventilation and higher positive end-expiratory pressure in ARDS, as well as head-of-bed elevation to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia. Conditional recommendations include prone positioning, venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in selected severe ARDS patients, daily sedation interruption, protocolized spontaneous breathing trials, and early tracheostomy. For several interventions, evidence remains insufficient to support definitive recommendations. This guideline aims to standardize practice and improve outcomes across Saudi intensive care units.
Authors
- Francy Cantor-Cruz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3257-9737)
- Skye Bickett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2571-3504)
- Khushnam Bilimoria (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6205-8385)
- Ahmed F Mady
- Tariq Aljasser
- Mohammed Al Mutairi
- Mohamed H. Azzam
- Ana María Rojas-Gómez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9779-338X)
- Alyaa Elhazmi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8315-7393)
- Huda Mhawish
- Mohammed Alqahtani
- Sheila Feit
- Joanna Sara Valson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0804-4230)
- F Al-Hameed
- Zohair Al Aseri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9869-7544)
- Klara Brunnhuber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6787-4405)
- Abdulrahman Alqahtani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4886-5236)
- José Ramos-Rojas
- Ahmed I Algahtani
- Maha Aljuaid (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2433-7807)
- Waleed Alhazzani
- Gabriel Rada
- Khalid Naif Alobeiwi
- Samah Y. Alqahtani
- Valentina Veloso
- Javiera Peña
- Shatha Abuzinada
- Camila Oliver-Avila
- Mai Ta Phuong
- Mohammed Alshahrani
- Francisco Novillo
- Sara Aldekhyl
- Yaseen M. Arabi
- Khalid Maghrabi
- Ziad A. Memish
- Paula Zambrano
- Mohammed O. Zeitouni
- Ximena Alvira
- Mohammad Saeedi
- Ali AlBshabshe
- Ruchi Chawla
- Farhan Alenezi
- Khalid Al Reyes
- Amal Al Matrood
- Ahmed A. Abdulmomen
- Chirag Taneja
- Haifa M. Algethamy
- Mohammed K. Al Harbi
Institutions
- Rush University Medical Center (US)
- Ministry of Defence (GB)
- RELX Group (Netherlands) (NL)
- Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital (SA)
- Universidad del Desarrollo (CL)
- Alfaisal University (SA)
- King Abdulaziz University (SA)
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (SA)
- University of Magdalena (CO)
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (SA)
- King Saud Medical City (SA)
- King Fahd Hospital of the University (SA)
- Sulaiman Al Rajhi Colleges (SA)
- Society of Critical Care Medicine (US)
- King Saud University (SA)
- King Abdulaziz Medical City (SA)
- Tanta University Hospital (EG)
- Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SA)
- Ministry of Health (SA)
- Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile (CL)
- King Abdulaziz Hospital (SA)
- Dar Al Uloom University (SA)
- RELX Group (United Kingdom) (GB)
- Impact (CA)
- Saudi Health Council
- National Guard Health Affairs (SA)
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (CA)
- King Khalid University (SA)
- University of La Salle (CO)
- McMaster University (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Saudi Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.4103/sjmms.sjmms_329_25
- Primary Topic
- Respiratory Support and Mechanisms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00