Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia (a serious lung infection) that can occur in patients, specifically those in Intensive Care Units (ICU) who need assistance breathing with a mechanical ventilator for at least 48 hours.
Patients are at risk of acquiring VAP if they have been on a ventilator for more than 5 days, have been recently hospitalized, had prior use of antibiotics (within the last 90 days), had dialysis treatment in a clinic or resided in a nursing home.
Symptoms of VAP include :
- Fever
- Low body temperature
- Foul smelling infectious mucous or phlegm coughed up from the lungs into the mouth
- Hypoxia or decreasing amounts of oxygen in the blood
Public reporting of VAP rates in intensive care units (ICU) of Ontario hospitals is now available on this website. In addition, hospitals will post their quarterly rates and case counts of VAP cases that developed in the ICUs of each hospital site on their website.
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