Articles: critical-care.
-
Critical care medicine · Jul 1997
Comparative StudyRelationship between behavioral and physiological indicators of pain, critical care patients' self-reports of pain, and opioid administration.
To examine the accuracy of inferences about critical care patients' pain based on physiological and behavioral indicators and to assess the relationship between registered nurse and patient pain scores and doses of opioids administered. ⋯ The use of a detailed, standardized pain assessment and intervention notation algorithm that incorporates behavioral and physiological indicators may assist healthcare professionals in making relatively accurate assessments of a patient's pain intensity. Further research is needed to determine the specific decision-making processes and criteria that healthcare professionals use to choose doses of analgesics to administer to critically ill patients.
-
Critical care medicine · Jul 1997
Clinical TrialDose response, recovery, and cost of doxacurium as a continuous infusion in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients.
To determine the optimal dosing of doxacurium as a continuous infusion in neurosurgical patients with traumatic brain injury; to determine the effects of bolus administration of doxacurium on heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and intracranial pressure (ICP); to monitor neuromuscular recovery after discontinuation of prolonged doxacurium infusion; and to compare the cost of doxacurium with other current neuromuscular blocking drugs. ⋯ Continuous infusion of doxacurium provides stable neuromuscular blockade for neurosurgical patients with traumatic brain injury. Doxacurium is devoid of clinically important interactions with HR, BP, or ICP and is less costly than other neuromuscular blockers used in the ICU.
-
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) occurs in a wide range of adult and pediatric critical care settings. This article provides an overview of ARDS including the controversies in definition, a summary of pathophysiology, diagnosis, clinical presentation, and management options. The article also attempts to emphasize new management options in the management of ARDS, and highlights differences between adults and children.