Objective: To characterize patients on mechanical ventilation at the Intensive Care Units from Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá between 2009 and 2013. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) that required mechanical ventilatory regardless of the cause of respiratory failure. Results: The mean age of the patients was 63.83 years, the most frequent diagnosis at admission was myocardial revascularization, followed by pneumonia and aortic valve replacement; on 43% of cases the cause of respiratory failure was the postoperative state; the most frequently used ventilation modes were SIMV (27.5%) and assisted control (26.12%). 50% of patients were ventilated with PEEP <6 cmH2O. Crude mortality at the ICU was 15%. 22% of patients had prolonged ICU hospitalization. Weaning protocol was applied to 77% of patients. The duration of mechanical ventilation is increased with increasing age between 60 and 80 years. Mortality is about 50% at 50 years and more than 80% at 80 years. Ventilatory support lasting five or more days increased mortality to 80% or greater. Discussion and Conclusions: These results are comparable to previous studies. This study can be considered as the first step to generate a proper record of mechanical ventilation on ICU in the country.