Critical care clinics
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This article defines a rational approach to the treatment of hemorrhagic shock. All patients that are hypovolemic following hemorrhage require fluid resuscitation. Some patients require red cell restoration and very few require correction of any clotting deficiencies. A physiologic approach to these problems will lead to optimal patient care in these circumstances.
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Critical care clinics · Apr 1993
ReviewMetabolic and nutritional support of the intensive care patient. Ascending the learning curve.
The learning curve of nutritional support in the critically ill began with the amelioration of the effects of starvation in patients with a disabled intestine. Next, there was an appreciation that feeding formulas could be tailored to support patients with specific organ insufficiencies. Then it was realized that feeding enterally has distinct advantages over feeding parenterally. ⋯ In the future, feeding formulae will be devised that continue to modify the patient's response to illness favorably. Another important consideration is to begin nutritional support as soon as possible--i.e., on the day of admission, if appropriate. The critical care specialist should be expert in these techniques, with the goal of eliminating malnutrition as a confounding variable in the clinical course of the intensive care unit patient.
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Cardiogenic shock remains the most dreaded complication of acute myocardial infarction. Mortality rates remain high despite modern interventional therapy. ⋯ Management consists of rapid stabilization of systemic arterial blood pressure, expeditious diagnostic evaluation, and definitive therapy when possible. New therapeutic modalities will be needed if patients with cardiogenic shock are to survive.
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Over the past century, the treatment of various forms of circulatory shock has included fluid resuscitation with either crystalloidal or colloidal solutions. Despite decades of investigation, there still is considerable controversy over the beneficial and adverse effects of each fluid type. Most authors agree that the initial resuscitation of any form of shock should be performed with crystalloid solutions. ⋯ Endpoints to resuscitation should include stabilization of vital signs, adequate urine output, adequate cardiac output, and evidence of supply-independent oxygen consumption. Side effects of aggressive fluid loading are frequent and include intravascular volume overload, pulmonary edema, increased myocardial water content, brain swelling, gastrointestinal ischemia, and massive systemic edema. These complications can best be minimized by careful fluid titration, using physiologic and hemodynamic endpoints.
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In patients with circulatory shock, monitoring of tissue perfusion requires assessment of systemic oxygen metabolism. The presence of lactic acidosis helps identify critical hypoperfusion as marked by anaerobic metabolism. ⋯ Measurements of systemic oxygen consumption and oxygen delivery help define underlying pathophysiology and the direction for therapeutic intervention. Tonometrically measured gastric intramucosal pH appears to be a useful method for monitoring splanchnic hypoperfusion and may have implications for assessing global perfusion failure.