Journal of critical care
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Hypernatremia is common in intensive care units. It has detrimental effects on various physiologic functions and was shown to be an independent risk factor for increased mortality in critically ill patients. Mechanisms of hypernatremia include sodium gain and/or loss of free water and can be discriminated by clinical assessment and urine electrolyte analysis. ⋯ Therefore, the intensivists should be very careful to provide the adequate sodium and water balance for them. Hypernatremia is treated by the administration of free water and/or diuretics, which promote renal excretion of sodium. The rate of correction is critical and must be adjusted to the rapidity of the development of hypernatremia.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2013
Energy expenditure in patients with severe head injury: controlled normothermia with sedation and neuromuscular blockade.
Providing optimal caloric intake is important for patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Insufficient nutrition worsens prognosis, and excessive nutrition may lead to complications such as weaning delay from mechanical ventilation. However, using controlled normothermia with sedation and neuromuscular blockade for patients with anticipated severe brain edema, the optimal caloric intake is still unclear. ⋯ Energy expenditure in patients with severe traumatic brain injury who need mechanical ventilation and have received controlled normothermia with sedation and neuromuscular blockade was 13% less than predicted basal levels. Energy expenditure might be obtained from age, body height, body weight, heart rate, and minute ventilation.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2013
Impact of large-volume thoracentesis on transpulmonary thermodilution-derived extravascular lung water in medical intensive care unit patients.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of large-volume thoracentesis (>1000 mL) on transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD)-derived cardiopulmonary parameters with special regard to extravascular lung water index (EVLWI). ⋯ Large-volume thoracentesis results in a statistically significant increase in TPTD-derived EVLWI. Because EVLWI was higher after removal of pleural fluid, we conclude that pleural effusions do not take part in single-indicator TPTD as a part of the pulmonary thermovolume and do not increase TPTD-derived EVLWI.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2013
Use of a protocolized approach to the management of sepsis can improve time to first dose of antibiotics.
The Surviving Sepsis Guidelines established recommendations for early recognition and rapid treatment of patients with sepsis. Recognizing systemic difficulties that delayed the application of early goal-directed therapy, the Emergency Department and Critical Care leadership instituted a sepsis protocol to identify patients with sepsis and expedite antibiotic delivery. We aimed to determine if the sepsis protocol improved the time to first dose of antibiotics in patients diagnosed with sepsis. ⋯ Initiation of a sepsis protocol, which emphasizes early goal-directed therapy, can improve time to administration of first dose of antibiotics.
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The role of microparticles (MPs) in the pathogenesis of sepsis is not completely elucidated. We aimed to assess changes in the number of MPs during severe sepsis to follow the effect of sepsis-related organ failures, particularly renal impairment, an independent mortality factor of sepsis. ⋯ The increased numbers of platelet-derived MPs in severe septic patients emphasize the possible contribution of the hemostasis system in the development of sepsis-related renal impairments.