Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2015
Intensive blood pressure control during the hyperacute phase of intracerebral hemorrhage in patients at risk for resistant hypertension: A retrospective cohort study.
There are limited data evaluating intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) control during the hyperacute phase of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with multiple risk factors for resistant hypertension. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of this intervention in a primary population that includes patients with multiple risk factors for resistant hypertension. ⋯ Intensive SBP control after ICH was difficult to achieve within 1 hour in those with risk factors for resistant hypertension. Patients' total risk factors were found to reduce the odds of achieving goal SBP within 6 hours.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2015
Choice of renal replacement therapy modality in intensive care units: Data from a Japanese Nationwide Administrative Claim Database.
This study was undertaken to assess recent trends of the choice of renal replacement therapy (RRT) modalities in Japanese intensive care units (ICUs). ⋯ Continuous RRT is apparently preferred in actual ICU practice, especially for hemodynamically unstable patients, and subsequent RRT modality switch is associated with mortality.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2015
Soft tissue oxygenation and risk of mortality (STORM): An early marker of critical illness?
Tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) is a noninvasive measure that reflects changes in tissue perfusion. Rapid response teams (RRTs) assess sick inpatients to determine need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. This determination is subjective based on parameters such as systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse oximetry. Our objective was to determine if parameters readily available at RRT bedside assessment (vital signs and StO2) can predict ICU admission and inhospital mortality. ⋯ Tissue oxygen saturation may identify critical illness in patients who would not traditionally meet ICU admission criteria and thus may identify patients who benefit from closer monitoring.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2015
The Durban World Congress Ethics Round Table IV: Health care professional end-of-life decision making.
When terminal illness exists, it is common clinical practice worldwide to withhold (WH) or withdraw (WD) life-sustaining treatments. Systematic documentation of professional opinion and perceived practice similarities and differences may allow recommendations to be developed. ⋯ There was majority agreement for many but not all statements describing health care professional end-of-life decision making.