Abstract:To explore the clinical characteristics and impact factors of ventilator -associated pneumonia in elderly cerebral infarction patients so as to provide evidence for prevention and treatment. Methods A total of 375 elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) who received mechanical ventilation for over 48 hours from 2013 to 2014 were retrospectively studied. The pneumonia infection and impact factors were also investigated. Results A total of 119 cases (31.73%) suffered from ventilator-associated pneumonia. From the patients 175 strains of pathogens were isolated, including 115 strains of Gram-negative bacilli (65.71%),49 strains of Gram-positive bacilli (28.00%) and 11 strains of fungi (6.29%). Long time of ventilator application, supine position, usage of a sedative, reflux and aspiration of gastric contents and higher score of APACHEⅡwere the risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia. Conclusions Ventilator-associated pneumonia is very common in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction in the Intensive Care Unit, and a variety of factors contribute to the occurrence of the infection.