Articles: critical-illness.
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Critical care medicine · Apr 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of the effect of intermittent administration and continuous infusion of famotidine on gastric pH in critically ill patients: results of a prospective, randomized, crossover study.
To compare the effects of intermittent intravenous administration and continuous intravenous infusion of famotidine on gastric pH in critically ill patients. ⋯ Continuous infusion of famotidine is more effective than an equivalent dose given by intermittent bolus in maintaining the appropriate gastric pH necessary for prevention of stress ulceration. Delayed onset of effect may warrant a priming dose when famotidine is given by continuous infusion.
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To examine the attitudes of health care workers regarding the withdrawal of life support. ⋯ While ICU health care workers consistently identify a number of patient factors as important in decisions to withdraw care, there is extreme variability, which may be explained in part by the values of individual health care providers.
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This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate whether an observation unit (OU) attached to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care hospital in India is safe, is effective in minimizing hospitalization of acutely ill patients and is acceptable to the patients. Of 115,916 patients who attended the ED, 11,130 (9.6%) were observed in the OU. ⋯ Twenty-four patients left the hospital against medical advice, and three patients died in the OU. It is concluded that an OU in the ED is safe in treating acutely ill patients, is effective in reducing substantially the number of patients requiring admission to the hospital, and is acceptable to the patients.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialGastric emptying in critically ill patients is accelerated by adding cisapride to a standard enteral feeding protocol: results of a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
To investigate the effect of cisapride, a relatively new prokinetic agent, on gastric emptying in critically ill patients. ⋯ The data indicate that gastric emptying in critically ill, sedated, and mechanically ventilated patients can be significantly improved by adding cisapride to a routine enteral feeding protocol.