Neurocritical care
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Cerebral edema and delayed cerebral infarction (DCI) are common complications after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and associated with poor functional outcome. Experimental data suggest that the amino acid taurine is released into the brain extracellular space secondary to cytotoxic edema and brain tissue hypoxia, and therefore may serve as a biomarker for secondary brain injury after aSAH. On the other hand, neuroprotective mechanisms of taurine treatment have been described in the experimental setting. ⋯ Significantly higher CMD-taurine levels were found in patients with brain edema or DCI after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Its value as a potential biomarker deserves further investigation.
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Impaired cerebral autoregulation (CA) is increasingly recognized to contribute to sequelae after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The current study characterizes the course of the dynamic autoregulation index (ARI) during the first 8 days after SAH and its coherence with angiographic vasospasm (VS) and clinical outcome. ⋯ Early deterioration of CA significantly correlates with unfavorable clinical outcome and severity of angiographic vasospasm. Dynamic CA measurements might represent an important tool in stratifying therapy guidelines in patients after SAH.
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The appropriate use of medications during Emergency Neurological Life Support (ENLS) is essential to optimize patient care. Important considerations when choosing the appropriate agent include the patient's organ function and medication allergies, potential adverse drug effects, drug interactions, and critical illness and aging pathophysiologic changes. Critical medications used during ENLS include hyperosmolar therapy, anticonvulsants, antithrombotics, anticoagulant reversal and hemostatic agents, anti-shivering agents, neuromuscular blockers, antihypertensive agents, sedatives, vasopressors and inotropes, and antimicrobials. This article focuses on the important pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, and clinical pearls of these therapies, providing practitioners with essential drug information to optimize pharmacotherapy in acutely ill neurocritical care patients.
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Patients with acute brain injuries require strict physiologic control to minimize morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess in-hospital compliance to strict physiologic parameters (BP, HR, ICP, SpO2) in these populations. ⋯ Hemodynamic management of patients with cerebrovascular injuries, based on targeted thresholds in the NSICU, yielded optimal control of SBP in only 28 % of our patients (within parameters ≥90 % of time).