The New England journal of medicine
The most recent articles from:
N. Engl. J. Med.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Daily interruption of sedative infusions in critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.
Conous infusions of sedative drugs in the intensive care unit may prolong the duration of mechanical ventilation, prolong the length of stay in the intensive care unit and the hospital, impede efforts to perform daily neurologic examinations, and increase the need for tests to assess alterations in mental status. Whether regular interruption of such infusions might accelerate recovery is not known. ⋯ In patients who are receiving mechanical ventilation, daily interruption of sedative-drug infusions decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of stay in the intensive care unit.