Awake Prone Positioning for COVID-19 Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure

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Infection with SARS-CoV-2 can result in Coronavirus Disease–19 (COVID-19). While the majority of patients are asymptomatic or have mild disease, approximately 14% develop more severe disease including hypoxemic respiratory failure and/or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

Prone positioning is a life-saving intervention for mechanically ventilated patients with moderate-severe ARDS.

Based on this, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend these patients be considered for a trial of prone positioning.

Recently the use of prone positioning in awake non-intubated COVID-19 patients has been recommended by several notable organizations with the goal of preventing intubation and potentially improving patient-oriented outcomes.

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