Maximum Expiratory Pressure on a ventilator is typically about which value?

Maximum Expiratory Pressure on a ventilator is typically about which value?

• A. 160 cm H2O
• B. 100 cm H2O
• C. 120 cm H2O
• D. 200 cm H2O

Answer: (A)

Maximum Expiratory Pressure measures how forcefully a person can exhale against a closed airway, reflecting expiratory muscle strength and the ability to clear airways. In healthy adults, this pressure typically tops out around 100–160 cm H2O, with men often reaching higher values than women. When a single representative value is asked for, 160 cm H2O is a common reference point for a normal maximum expiratory effort. The other figures can occur in some individuals but don’t align as the standard benchmark: 100 or 120 cm H2O are lower-end normal, while 200 cm H2O is higher than what’s typically seen in healthy adults.

Maximum Expiratory Pressure measures how forcefully a person can exhale against a closed airway, reflecting expiratory muscle strength and the ability to clear airways. In healthy adults, this pressure typically tops out around 100–160 cm H2O, with men often reaching higher values than women. When a single representative value is asked for, 160 cm H2O is a common reference point for a normal maximum expiratory effort. The other figures can occur in some individuals but don’t align as the standard benchmark: 100 or 120 cm H2O are lower-end normal, while 200 cm H2O is higher than what’s typically seen in healthy adults.