The methodology presented herein predicts, among other things, whether the application of MV, and in particular of high driving pressure, might lead to the development of RV failure in ARDS. The methodology of the present invention is thus aim at providing protective MV strategies. In this sense, in the present invention, and by using the methodology described herein, we have demonstrated changes in PVM during breathing that are affected by the implemented driving pressure; specially, in a situation where alveoli mechanics are heterogeneous which leads to a not uniform distribution of the effect of pressure changes into the lung tissue. The results presented herein also warn about the necessity of implementing the method of the present invention, capable of providing high accuracy measurements techniques, for a better description of respiratory effects of respiration on PVM.