Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2022
Observational StudyA Contemporary Analysis of Phlebotomy and Iatrogenic Anemia Development Throughout Hospitalization in Critically Ill Adults.
Anemia is common in critically ill patients and may be exacerbated through phlebotomy-associated iatrogenic blood loss. Differences in phlebotomy practice across patient demographic characteristics, clinical features, and practice environments are unclear. This investigation provides a comprehensive description of contemporary phlebotomy practices for critically ill adults. ⋯ Phlebotomy continues to be a major source of blood loss in hospitalized patients with critical illness, and more intensive phlebotomy practices are associated with lower hemoglobin concentrations and greater transfusion utilization.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2022
Center Variation in Use of Preoperative Dual Antiplatelet Therapy and Platelet Function Testing at the Time of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Maryland.
Patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome are administered a P2Y 12 inhibitor and aspirin before coronary catheterization to prevent further myocardial injury from thrombosis. Guidelines recommend a standard waiting period between the time patients are administered dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and elective cardiac surgery. Since 25% to 30% of the population may be considered nonresponders to clopidogrel, platelet function testing can be utilized for timing of surgery and to assess bleeding risks. The extent to which a standard waiting period or platelet function testing is used across centers is not established, representing an important opportunity to standardize practice. ⋯ There is significant variability in DAPT usage within 5 days of CABG between hospital centers. Preoperative platelet function testing may allow for earlier timing of surgery for those on DAPT without increased bleeding risks.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2022
Situational Awareness of Opioid Consumption: The Missing Link to Reducing Dependence After Surgery?
A tool for collecting and analyzing morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) can be used to overcome barriers to situational awareness around opioid utilization in the setting of multimodal pain management. Our software application (App) has facilitated data collection, analysis, and benchmarking in a manner that is not logistically feasible using manual methods. Real-time postoperative tracking of MME over the course of an episode of care can be prohibitively labor-intensive, and teams must have practical strategies to overcome this obstacle. In view of the link between the magnitude of opioid prescriptions at discharge and persistent opioid use after cardiac surgery, we believe that improving situational awareness among the patient care team is a vital first step in reducing opioid dependence after cardiac surgery.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2022
Association Between Left Ventricular Relative Wall Thickness and Acute Kidney Injury After Noncardiac Surgery.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) after major noncardiac surgery is commonly attributed to cardiovascular dysfunction. Identifying novel associations between preoperative cardiovascular markers and kidney injury may guide risk stratification and perioperative intervention. Increased left ventricular relative wall thickness (RWT), routinely measured on echocardiography, is associated with myocardial dysfunction and long-term risk of heart failure in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF); however, its relationship to postoperative complications has not been studied. We evaluated the association between preoperative RWT and AKI in high-risk noncardiac surgical patients with preserved LVEF. ⋯ Left ventricular RWT is a novel cardiovascular factor associated with AKI within 7 days after high-risk noncardiac surgery among patients with preserved LVEF. Application of this commonly available measurement of risk stratification or perioperative intervention warrants further investigation.