Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Review Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialMeasurement of tissue perfusion by oxygen transport patterns in experimental shock and in high-risk surgical patients.
Survivors of high-risk general (noncardiac) surgery were observed to have cardiac index (CI) values averaging 4.5 l/min.m2, oxygen delivery (DO2) of greater than 600 ml/min.m2, and oxygen consumption (VO2) of 170 ml/min.m2. In contrast, these values were relatively normal in patients who subsequently died. ⋯ The optimal goals were more easily attained with colloids, red cells, dobutamine, and vasodilators, according to their capacity to improve tissue perfusion, as reflected by increased flow and oxygen transport. The extremely complex interactions between DO2 and VO2 are reviewed.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPlasma catecholamine concentration during sedation in ventilated patients requiring intensive therapy.
The effects of isoflurane and midazolam sedation on the catecholamine responses of ventilated patients were studied over a 24-h period. Sixty ventilated patients admitted to our intensive therapy unit were allocated randomly to receive either isoflurane or midazolam sedation. ⋯ Patients sedated with midazolam showed no significant changes of adrenaline or noradrenaline concentrations. Overall, a more satisfactory degree of sedation was achieved with isoflurane.
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Two patients with multiple organ failure, septicaemia and a deteriorating clinical course were treated by plasma exchange in addition to standard supportive measures. Dramatic improvements were seen in cardio-respiratory (patient 1), neurological and renal parameters (patient 2) which were attributable to the exchanges. Plasma exchange might be of value as adjunctive therapy where overwhelming septicaemia occurs with multiple organ failure.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Case ReportsSuccessful treatment of massive pulmonary embolism with recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in a pregnant woman with intact gravidity and preterm labour.
We report a patient with massive pulmonary embolism and circulatory shock during pregnancy (31st gestational week) and preterm labour who has been successfully treated with recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator. Thrombolysis was performed using 10 mg.h-1 over 4 h followed by 2 mg.h-1 for 1 h 30 min resulting in complete resolution of cardio-respiratory symptoms. ⋯ At 48 h after the end of thrombolytic therapy the patient was delivered spontaneously of a male preterm healthy infant. The relevance of this new thrombolytic agent in the treatment of massive life-threatening pulmonary embolism during pregnancy is discussed.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Case ReportsSurvival in adults after cardiac arrest due to drowning.
Some remarkable cases of full neurological recovery after cardiac arrest following immersion incidents have been intermittently reported in the journals over the years. These have largely been in children or teenagers who have fallen into extremely cold water. We report here two older adults who recovered completely after a period of cardiac arrest in cold water. Certainly, death should not be pronounced in cold water drowning, without a thermometer reading and ECG.