American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Many patients each year require prolonged mechanical ventilation. Inflammatory processes may prevent successful weaning, and evidence indicates that mechanical ventilation induces oxidative stress in the diaphragm, resulting in atrophy and contractile dysfunction of diaphragmatic myofibers. Antioxidant supplementation might mitigate the harmful effects of the oxidative stress induced by mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Enteral administration of antioxidants is a simple, safe, inexpensive, and effective intervention that decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill adults.