Current opinion in critical care
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewCardiogenic pulmonary edema: mechanisms and treatment: an intensivist's view.
This review summarizes current understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiogenic pulmonary edema, its causes and treatment. ⋯ Treatments must be initiated early, whereas evaluation still is occurring and requires multimodality intervention. The general treatment of cardiogenic pulmonary edema includes diuretics, possibly morphine and often nitrates. The appropriate use of newer approaches - such as, nesiritide, high-dose vasodilators, milrinone, and vasopressin receptor antagonists - needs larger clinical trials.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewInotropes and vasopressors use in cardiogenic shock: when, which and how much?
Data and interventional trials regarding vasopressor and inotrope use during cardiogenic shock are scarce. Their use is limited by their side-effects and the lack of solid evidence regarding their effectiveness in improving outcomes. In this article, we review the current use of vasopressor and inotrope agents during cardiogenic shock. ⋯ When blood pressure needs to be restored, norepinephrine is a reasonable first-line agent. Dobutamine is the first-line inotrope agent wheraes levosimendan can be used as a second-line agent or preferentially in patients previously treated with beta-blockers. Current information regarding comparative effective outcomes is nonetheless sparse and their use should be limited as a temporary bridge to recovery, mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewRevascularization strategies in cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction.
Coronary revascularization compared with medical treatment alone leads to improved survival in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiogenic shock. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the predominant mode of revascularization in clinical practice. This review discusses several aspects relevant to mechanical revascularization such as general indication, the roles of PCI and bypass surgery, percutaneous access site choice, strategy in multivessel disease and adjunctive antithrombotic therapy. ⋯ Coronary revascularization remains the cornerstone in the early management of patients with acute MI and cardiogenic shock. In patients with multivessel disease, a strategy of culprit lesion only PCI is the default approach.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewAn overview of international cardiogenic shock guidelines and application in clinical practice.
In this review, we compare central differences in cardiogenic shock recommendations in international clinical practice guidelines, scientific statements, and the strength of the supporting evidence. Furthermore, we discuss their associations with adherence to guidelines in registry studies. ⋯ There are some inconsistencies between individual guideline recommendations, but there are no consistent associations between the strength of underlying evidence, weight of guideline recommendations, and adherence to guidelines in clinical practice. Improved knowledge translation of recommendations with a strong evidence base, together with research efforts to address priority cardiogenic shock research needs, could serve-to-harmonize recommendations and improve patient outcomes.
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Glutamine (GLN) is a versatile amino acid, long believed to have important implications in ICU and surgical patients. An extensive body of data examining GLN supplementation of TPN demonstrated a consistent signal of improved outcomes. However, recently signals of risk have come from two large-scale multicenter trials evaluating GLN (and other nutrients) at high dose and as primary pharmaconutrients, not as supplementation to complete nutrition. These trials indicate a risk of increased mortality when GLN is given to patients in shock, renal failure, and early in acute phase of critical care. ⋯ Three recent meta-analyses have confirmed traditional GLN-supplemented (or 'GLN-Complemented' - providing GLN for completeness of amino acid content) TPN is safe, reduces mortality and improves outcome in surgical and ICU patients. Patients in need of TPN, burns, trauma or malignancies should continue to benefit from supplemental GLN, administered either intravenously at less than 0.35 g/kg/day or enterally at less than 0.5 g/kg/day. Further, a large trial of EN GLN supplementation in burns is ongoing. Thus, when used per guideline recommendations, the GLN story is likely still relevant to ICU outcomes and research.