What percentage of people survive after they are put on a ventilator?

According to data from the National Inpatient Sample, around 61% of people who required mechanical ventilation as part of their hospital stay survived. However, this number can vary substantially depending on the underlying condition and other factors such as age and potential medical complications. For instance, a study looking at outcomes in elderly people with severe COVID-19 found that only 15% had a successful weaning from mechanical ventilation while 79% died or remained intubated after 28 days. Similarly, one retrospective analysis involving 4145 patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in 64 different hospitals has shown an overall survival rate of around 56%. As such, it is important to consider individual cases for more accurate projections on survival rates.