Identifying the Optimal IMT Dose in ICU

200,000 adults are admitted to intensive care in the UK each year. Many of these patients need help with their breathing and are put on a machine called a ventilator. Research shows that many patients using a ventilator quickly develop weakness in their main breathing muscle, called the diaphragm. This weakness can cause a longer time on the ventilator, a longer hospital stay, and higher chances of health problems or death. Inspiratory muscle training is a breathing exercise where the patient breathes against resistance through a small device (like breathing through a straw). It aims to improve the strength of the diaphragm and reduce how long patients are on the ventilator. Why is this research needed? Research shows that current breathing exercise programmes do not help patients come off the ventilator or go home quicker. This may be because these breathing exercises strengthen the