Non-invasive (NIV) as well as invasive mechanical ventilation are established for the treatment of ventilatory failure in neuromuscular diseases. The EUROVENT study provides data about mechanical ventilation at home. In this survey there is a trend towards pressure-derived ventilation in these patient groups. Volume-cycled ventilators had been used in 41% patients with neuromuscular diseases. During the past decade a remarkable change towards pressure-cycled ventilation has occurred. Two recently published, randomised cross-over studies demonstrated equal efficacy of volume-cycled ventilation compared to pressure-cycled ventilation in terms of gas exchange and sleep efficacy in chronic ventilatory failure. In both groups the median survival times were equal. In respiratory muscle failure, assisted ventilation, assist/controlled ventilation as well as controlled ventilation are applied. Between 1977 and 2001, long-term survival improved in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in Denmark based on a strict organisation of care, home ventilation as standard treatment and the establishment of centres for home ventilation. The proportion of ventilated patients rose from 0.9% to 43.4% of all DMD patients. The median survival of an untreated DMD patient is 9.7 months. Simonds demonstrated a 5-year survival rate of 73% in these groups of patients under home mechanical ventilation. In patients with the more rapidly deteriorating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the efficacy of home ventilation is less impressive and bulbar involvement serves as an independent negative predictor.