Articles: critical-care.
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Although cardiopulmonary arrest rarely occurs in the pregnant woman, it is important that the health care team know the appropriate actions to take in such an event, to promote positive outcomes for both mother and fetus. Specific techniques, personnel, and equipment are required to manage this grave situation. ⋯ If the pregnant woman does not respond to treatment, a cesarean delivery must be attempted within 5 minutes of the arrest if uterine size indicates gestational age of at least 20 weeks. This article describes the adaptations of traditional cardiopulmonary arrest procedures required to treat the pregnant woman who sustains a cardiopulmonary arrest, protocols for managing the communication of the emergency code, emergency equipment that must be available, and the importance of teams in managing mother and neonate.
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Frequent or continuous monitoring of crucial variables in patients with cerebrovascular disease allows the intensive care team to identify progression of the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved, intervene to halt or reverse this progression, and identify the response to treatment in order to modify the intervention if necessary. Central nervous system physiologic monitoring modalities include: a) the clinically-apparent function, b) physical and mechanical variables, c) circulation or perfusion, d) bioelectrical measures, and e) biochemical measures. The neurologic examination of the critically ill patient is an indispensable monitoring tool in the ICU. ⋯ Neurophysiologic monitoring with electroencephalography (EEG) and evoked potential (EP) testing can be used as a supplement to the neurologic exam and other diagnostic studies. EEG and EP can provide an early indication of clinically relevant change due to evolving disease or in response to therapy, which is especially helpful when the neurologic examination is limited due to severe coma, therapeutic barbiturate coma, or neuromuscular blockade. Neurometabolic monitoring in cerebrovascular disease with microdialysis is a promising technique that may be able to identify markers of cellular energy state or excitotoxicity in carefully selected areas of the brain.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Predicting energy needs in ventilator-dependent critically ill patients: effect of adjusting weight for edema or adiposity.
Predicting energy needs in critical illness can be difficult because of uncertainties about the influence of multiple factors on energy expenditure. Understanding these components is important to avoid limiting optimal outcome by underfeeding and to avoid complications of overfeeding. Prediction strategies often use a patient's weight to estimate needs. ⋯ Adjusted-weight strategies could explain > 45% of the variability of resting energy expenditure in subjects 130-159% of ideal body weight. Results of this study suggest that using adjusted weights with the KPK prediction strategy may be preferable for this population, particularly for patients > or = 130% of ideal body weight. This study also indicated that multiple diagnoses may not lead to increased energy requirements.
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Nursing in critical care · Nov 1997
ReviewThe need for assessment of sedation in the critically ill.
There is a need for assessment of sedation in ICU as sedative agents are potent drugs that are used frequently but not regularly monitored for their efficacy. Critical care nurses are accountable when administering potent intravenous drugs, such as sedative agents. ⋯ A number of sedative drugs commonly used in ICU, such as propofol, are highlighted. Sedation assessment tools available are considered but each may be appropriate in different situations.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1997
Comparative Study Clinical TrialLithium dilution cardiac output measurement: a comparison with thermodilution.
To compare the results of cardiac output measurements obtained by lithium dilution and thermodilution. ⋯ The overall agreement between the two methods was good. The variability of the thermodilution measurements was greater than that of the lithium dilution measurements. The lithium dilution method is at least as accurate as bolus thermodilution and, since pulmonary artery catheterization is not needed, it has the advantages of being safe and quick to perform.