European journal of anaesthesiology
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Comparative Study
Survival after long-term isoflurane sedation as opposed to intravenous sedation in critically ill surgical patients.
Isoflurane has shown better control of intensive care sedation than propofol or midazolam and seems to be a useful alternative. However, its effect on survival remains unclear. ⋯ Compared with propofol/midazolam sedation, long-term sedation with isoflurane seems to be well tolerated in this group of critically ill patients after surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Psychoacoustic analysis of noise and the application of earplugs in an ICU: A randomised controlled clinical trial.
Patients and medical staff are exposed to high noise levels in ICUs, which may have a negative impact on their health. Due to the diversity of noise sources present, including the operating noise of medical devices, staff conversations and the unwrapping of disposables, noise profiles are varied. Psychoacoustics deals with the analysis of sound, focusing on its effects on physiological perception and stress. ⋯ Noise in the ICU is of high clinical relevance. Diverse noise reduction methods, such as earplugs and active noise cancellation, are available. The avoidance of unnecessary noise, however, should be the primary focus.