Journal of critical care
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2013
Current oxygen management in mechanically ventilated patients: A prospective observational cohort study.
Oxygen (O2) is the most common therapy in mechanically ventilated patients, but targets and dose are poorly understood. We aimed to describe current O2 administration and titration in such patients in an academic intensive care unit. ⋯ Excess O2 delivery and liberal O2 therapy were common in mechanically ventilated patients. Current O2 therapy practice may be suboptimal and further investigations are warranted.
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2013
ReviewAssessment and management of cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension in acute liver failure.
Acute liver failure is uncommon but not a rare complication of liver injury. It can happen after ingestion of acetaminophen and exposure to toxins and hepatitis viruses. The defining clinical symptoms are coagulopathy and encephalopathy occurring within days or weeks of the primary insult in patients without preexisting liver injury. ⋯ Intracranial pressure monitoring, transcranial Doppler, and jugular venous oximetry provide valuable information for monitoring ICP and guiding therapeutic measures in patients with encephalopathy grade III or IV. Osmotic therapy using hypertonic saline and mannitol, therapeutic hypothermia, and propofol sedation are shown to improve ICPs and stabilize the patient for liver transplantation. In this article, diagnosis and management of hepatic encephalopathy and cerebral edema in patients with acute liver failure are reviewed.
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2013
Prolonged sevoflurane administration in the off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Beneficial effects.
The benefits of intraoperative administration of halogenated agents in patients undergoing cardiac surgery have been shown by numerous studies. The mechanisms of preconditioning and postconditioning appear to be the cause of these benefits. The possibility of maintaining the early postoperative sedation with halogenated agents, after its intraoperative administration, can increase their benefits. ⋯ Sevoflurane administration in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass graft, in the operating room and the intensive care unit, decreases myocardial injury markers compared with patients who only received sevoflurane in the intraoperative period, but both were a better option to decrease levels of myocardial markers when compared with the propofol group.
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2013
Comparative StudyIntroducing a new generation indirect calorimeter for estimating energy requirements in adult intensive care unit patients: Feasibility, practical considerations, and comparison with a mathematical equation.
Indirect calorimetry (IC) is increasingly advocated for individualizing nutritional therapy in critically ill adult patients, but questions remain regarding its practical implementation. ⋯ Indirect calorimetry is increasingly advocated for individualizing nutritional therapy in critically ill adult patients. Practical feasibility is tested in this study. Large differences between measured and calculated energy expenditure are observed. Together with patients' characteristics, feasibility results can guide clinicians or institutes in using IC in their daily clinical practice.