Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2012
Central venous pressure and shock index predict lack of hemodynamic response to volume expansion in septic shock: a prospective, observational study.
Volume expansion is a common therapeutic intervention in septic shock, although patient response to the intervention is difficult to predict. Central venous pressure (CVP) and shock index have been used independently to guide volume expansion, although their use is questionable. We hypothesize that a combination of these measurements will be useful. ⋯ Volume expansion in patients with early septic shock with a CVP of 8 mm Hg or greater and a shock index of 1 beat min(-1) mm Hg(-1) or less is unlikely to lead to an increase in cardiac index.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2012
ReviewWhy patients in critical care do not receive adequate enteral nutrition? A review of the literature.
Enteral nutrition is frequently used to provide nutrients for critically ill patients. However, only about half of critically ill enterally fed patients receive their energy requirements. Underfeeding is associated with detrimental clinical outcomes including infection, pressure ulcers, impaired wound healing, prolonged hospital stays, and increased morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Frequent interruption was caused by diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, gastrointestinal intolerance, feeding tube problems, and routine nursing procedures. There are no standardized protocols that address these barriers to receiving adequate enteral intake. Such protocols must be developed, implemented, and tested to address undernutrition and mitigate the negative consequences of inadequate enteral intake.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2012
ReviewPharmacokinetic changes in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass used to temporarily sustain cardiac and/or respiratory function in critically ill patients. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation further complicates the management of critically ill patients who already have profound physiologic derangements with consequent altered pharmacokinetics. The purpose of this study is to identify and critically review the published literature describing pharmacokinetics in the presence of ECMO. ⋯ While lipophilic drugs and highly protein-bound drugs (eg, voriconazole and fentanyl) are significantly sequestered in the circuit, hydrophilic drugs (eg, β-lactam antibiotics, glycopeptides) are significantly affected by hemodilution and other pathophysiologic changes that occur during ECMO. Although the published literature is insufficient to make any meaningful recommendations for adjusting therapy for drug dosing, this review systematically describes the available data enabling clinicians to make conclusions based on available data. Furthermore, this review serves to highlight the need for well-designed and conducted clinical and laboratory-based studies to provide the data from which robust dosing guidance can be developed to improve clinical outcomes in this most unwell cohort of patients.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2012
Use of 2-hour creatinine clearance to guide cessation of continuous renal replacement therapy.
A simple test that could guide successful cessation of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in critically ill patients would be clinically useful. This study aimed to investigate whether a 2-hour creatinine clearance (2h-CrCl) measurement could more accurately predict successful cessation of CRRT than serum creatinine or urine output alone. ⋯ 2h-CrCl may be a useful measurement to help guide discontinuation from CRRT.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2012
Exploring the capacity to ambulate after a period of prolonged mechanical ventilation.
The purposes were to assess the functional recovery of those who survived a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay by reporting the proportion who were able to ambulate independently at hospital discharge and also to examine if the time duration between admission and when the patient first stood impacted on their capacity to ambulate at discharge. ⋯ After a prolonged ICU admission, more than 50% of patients were unable to ambulate independently by hospital discharge, with the time between admission and first stand, being an important predictor of this outcome.