Pressure control is a mode of mechanical ventilation alone and a variable within other modes of mechanical ventilation. Pressure control is used to regulate pressures applied during mechanical ventilation

Mechanical ventilation

In medicine, mechanical ventilation is a method to mechanically assist or replace spontaneous breathing. This may involve a machine called a ventilator or the breathing may be assisted by a physician, respiratory therapist or other suitable person compressing a bag or set of bellows...

. Air delivered into the patients lungs (breaths) are currently regulated by Volume Control or Pressure Control. In pressure controlled breaths a tidal volume achieved is based on how much volume can be delivered before the pressure control limit is reached.

Uses

Pressure control is used in any situation where pulmonary barotrauma may occur such as acute-respiratory distress syndrome.

Characteristics

• Type of breath — Only mandatory breaths are available to the patient in the pressure control mode in CMV, but in PC-IMV the patient may breath but gets only pressure support
  Pressure support
  Pressure support is a variable in modes of mechanical ventilation that applies pressure when a person being assisted by a ventilator attempts to take a breath....
  
   and PEEP.
• Triggering mechanism — The mandatory breaths in the pressure control mode are time triggered by a preset rate.
• Cycling mechanism — The mandatory breaths are time cycled by a preset inspiratory time.