Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Feb 2010
ReviewLessons from the aprotinin saga: current perspective on antifibrinolytic therapy in cardiac surgery.
Antifibrinolytic agents have been prophylactically administered to patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to reduce postoperative bleeding due to plasmin-mediated coagulation disturbances. After the recent market withdrawal of aprotinin, a potent bovine-derived plasmin inhibitor, two lysine analogs, epsilon-aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid are currently available for clinical use. Although the use of aprotinin recently raised major concerns about postoperative thrombosis and organ dysfunctions, there is a paucity of information on the potential complications related to lysine analogs. ⋯ Fibrin formation is the critical step for hemostasis at the site of vascular injury, and localized fibrinolytic activity counterbalances excess fibrin formation which might result in vascular occlusion. Inhibition of the endogenous fibrinolytic system may be associated with thrombotic complications in susceptible organs. It is thus important to understand CPB-related changes in endogenous fibrinolytic proteins (e.g., tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen) and antifibrinolytic proteins (e.g., alpha(2)-antiplasmin).
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Journal of anesthesia · Feb 2010
ReviewPossible indications of beta-blockers in the perioperative period other than prevention of cardiac ischemia.
According to the guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association 2006 for perioperative cardiovascular evaluation for non-cardiac surgery, beta-blocker therapy should be considered for high-risk individuals undergoing vascular surgery or high- and intermediate-risk patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. This guideline might induce physicians to increasingly use beta-blockers in the hope of preventing perioperative cardiac complications. However, beta-blockers have potential beneficial effects outside the prevention of cardiac events. ⋯ Moreover, intrathecal administration of beta-blockers may have antinociceptive effects. Physicians need to bear in mind the benefits of beta-blockers for purposes other than preventing cardiac events when applied in the perioperative period, and they should be familiar with the pharmacodynamics and risk-benefit ratio with their use. This review focuses on possible extracardiac indications of beta-blockers.
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Journal of anesthesia · Jan 2009
ReviewComplexity of blood volume control system and its implications in perioperative fluid management.
The use of fluid therapy attempts to optimize blood circulation by manipulating the circulating blood volume (BV). BV may be a key intermediate parameter between fluid therapy and the blood circulation, and it has been assumed that BV can be controlled by fluid therapy. In order to construct a fluid therapy protocol, firstly, we have to confirm whether BV can actually be controlled by fluid therapy. ⋯ Because inflammation and some hormones control vascular permeability and the renal adjustment of solutes and fluids, such factors may readjust the BV even after interventional fluid therapy. Perioperative BV may be predominantly controlled by an internal regulatory system, regardless of whether "restrictive" or "liberal" fluid management strategies are employed. Recognizing this physiological control of BV may help us to develop individualized fluid management strategies.
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Memory loss and lack of concentration are symptoms that frequently occur in patients who have undergone a surgical procedure. Although cognitive function can be assessed using neuropsychological tests, reliable diagnosis of postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) appears to be difficult. Therefore, the true incidence of POCD is unknown. ⋯ In these cases, POCD probably reflects microembolic brain injury. Apart from the nature of the surgical procedure, advanced age is the most important risk factor for POCD. The anesthetic technique is not a determinant of POCD: the risk of POCD appears to be similar after both general and regional anesthesia.
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There is growing evidence that early detection and response to physiological deterioration can improve outcomes for hospitalized infants, children, and adults. A rapid response system (RRS) is a multidisciplinary system to decrease the incidence of in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrests by detecting a crisis event and triggering a response and by dispatching a responding team. ⋯ The system is designed to locate and respond rapidly to a suddenly critically ill patient who lacks necessary critical care resources. Over the past decade, RRSs have been widely implemented in adult practice in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavian countries.