Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
ReviewHeparin-induced thrombocytopenia in intensive care patients.
To summarize new information on frequency of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in patients treated in intensive care units (ICU), developments in the interpretation of assays for detecting anti-PF4/heparin antibodies, and treatment of HIT patients. ⋯ HIT affects <1% of ICU patients even though 30-50% develop thrombocytopenia. The choice of the optimal alternative anticoagulant depends on patient characteristics. Many ICU patients require lower doses of alternative anticoagulant than those recommended by the manufacturer.
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
Patient safety event reporting in critical care: a study of three intensive care units.
To increase patient safety event reporting in three intensive care units (ICUs) using a new voluntary card-based event reporting system and to compare and evaluate observed differences in reporting among healthcare workers across ICUs. ⋯ This card-based reporting system increased reporting significantly compared with pre-intervention Web-based reporting and revealed significant differences in reporting by healthcare worker and ICU. These differences may reveal important preferences and priorities for reporting medical errors and patient safety events.
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
Editorial CommentShould we talk to patients (and their families) about God?
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparison of silver-impregnated with standard multi-lumen central venous catheters in critically ill patients.
To evaluate a new silver-impregnated multi-lumen central venous catheter for reducing catheter-related colonization in intensive care patients. ⋯ The use of silver-impregnated multi-lumen catheters in adult intensive care patients is not associated with a lower rate of colonization than the use of standard multi-lumen catheters.