Respiratory care
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The topic of patient safety has received much attention in recent years. There are a number of areas in which the subject of patient safety impacts respiratory care practice. This paper focuses on articles published in 2014 related to pressure injury, handoffs, protocols and multidisciplinary teams, perioperative obstructive sleep apnea, and readmissions.
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Pneumomediastinum has been described in patients with asthma. In this case report, we describe a young patient who presented to our medical assessment unit with an asthma exacerbation and progressive dyspnea. ⋯ Pneumomediastinum is usually characterized by chest pain, dyspnea, and neck swelling caused by subcutaneous emphysema. Although the condition is usually benign and treatment is primarily supportive, surgical intervention may be needed if the patient develops hemodynamic compromise or respiratory failure through mechanisms similar to those seen in a tension pneumothorax.
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Bronchiectasis exacerbations are critical events characterized by worsened symptoms and signs (ie, cough frequency, sputum volume, malaise). ⋯ Bronchiectasis exacerbations are characterized by heightened inflammatory responses and poorer quality of life and spirometry, but not by increased bacterial density, which applies for subjects with and without potentially pathogenic microorganism isolation when clinically stable. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01761214.).
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Editorial Comment
Weakness and Fluid Overload Hinder Weaning. Or Do They?