Could a common anesthetic gas help ICU patients breathe better on ventilators?

This study looks at how different sedatives affect the breathing of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who are on a ventilator. Twenty adults in the ICU will receive both standard intravenous propofol and inhaled isoflurane (a gas used in anesthesia) for short periods. Researchers will measure breathing drive and effort to see if one approach helps patients breathe more naturally while on the machine.