Pplat

Medical abbreviation · Respiratory

Pplat
Stands forPlateau pressure
CategoriesMedical

Pplat stands for Plateau pressure, a respiratory abbreviation.

Airway pressure measured during a brief pause at the end of inspiration on a ventilator, when airflow stops, reflecting the pressure in the alveoli and the stiffness of the respiratory system. Keeping it at or below 30 cm H2O is a core rule of lung-protective ventilation.

Example: Inspiratory hold: Pplat 32, so tidal volume reduced to 5 mL/kg.

Usage notes

Driving pressure, the plateau pressure minus PEEP, was linked to survival in a 2015 analysis of ARDS trials, with values of 15 cm H2O or less associated with better outcomes. A valid measurement requires a relaxed patient not actively breathing. In obese patients, a stiff chest wall can raise the plateau without overdistending the lungs.

More respiratory abbreviations

  • PF – Pulmonary fibrosis
  • PFT – Pulmonary function test
  • PH – Pulmonary hypertension
  • PIP – Peak inspiratory pressure
  • PNA – Pneumonia
  • PND – Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
  • PRVC – Pressure-regulated volume control
  • PSG – Polysomnography
  • PSV – Pressure support ventilation
  • PTX – Pneumothorax
  • RAD – Reactive airway disease
  • RDI – Respiratory disturbance index

See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.