A patient with severe asthma is admitted to the ICU. Which of the following actions is MOST crucial immediately after initiating mechanical ventilation?
1
Elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees.
2
Perform arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis 30 minutes post-initiation.
3
Increase sedation to ensure patient-ventilator synchrony.
4
Adjust the mechanical ventilator settings based on the patient's comfort level.