ACCS Respiratory Practice Exam 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Synchronous Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation sets a minimum number of breaths that the machine guarantees, but between those breaths the patient is free to take spontaneous breaths. The mandatory breaths are timed to synchronize with the patient’s own efforts, which reduces dyssynchrony and helps the patient work a bit at breathing while still receiving controlled support on those breaths. The breaths the patient takes on their own between the mandatory ones are not augmented by the ventilator, which is the key distinction from modes where every breath is fully delivered or where spontaneous breaths are not allowed. Also, SIMV can include PEEP and does not inherently have to push mean airway pressures higher than another mode; those pressures depend on the specific tidal volume, rate, and PEEP settings.