Ethics of HMV and NIV

Ethical dilemmas are common in any chronic condition that is eventually fatal. Ethical principles are determined by society and have been subject to enormous change in the Western World for the past 20–30 years. The Human Rights Act is one example of European aspirations for equality and respect for the individual, which has major implications for medicine. Issues specific to HMV/NIV include access to treatment, respect for patient autonomy, competency, and how it is determined, as well as resuscitation following cardio-respiratory arrest. It is important that we distinguish between the health status of a patien…