Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
ReviewHeparin-induced thrombocytopenia in intensive care patients.
To summarize new information on frequency of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in patients treated in intensive care units (ICU), developments in the interpretation of assays for detecting anti-PF4/heparin antibodies, and treatment of HIT patients. ⋯ HIT affects <1% of ICU patients even though 30-50% develop thrombocytopenia. The choice of the optimal alternative anticoagulant depends on patient characteristics. Many ICU patients require lower doses of alternative anticoagulant than those recommended by the manufacturer.
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
Editorial CommentShould we talk to patients (and their families) about God?
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparison of silver-impregnated with standard multi-lumen central venous catheters in critically ill patients.
To evaluate a new silver-impregnated multi-lumen central venous catheter for reducing catheter-related colonization in intensive care patients. ⋯ The use of silver-impregnated multi-lumen catheters in adult intensive care patients is not associated with a lower rate of colonization than the use of standard multi-lumen catheters.
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyPatient-ventilator interaction and sleep in mechanically ventilated patients: pressure support versus proportional assist ventilation.
To understand the role of patient-ventilator asynchrony in the etiology of sleep disruption and determine whether optimizing patient-ventilator interactions by using proportional assist ventilation improves sleep. ⋯ Patient ventilator discordance causes sleep disruption. Proportional assist ventilation seems more efficacious than pressure support ventilation in matching ventilatory requirements with ventilator assistance, therefore resulting in fewer patient-ventilator asynchronies and better quality of sleep.