Articles: critical-care.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1993
Comparative StudyThe use of neuromuscular blocking drugs in the intensive care unit: a US perspective.
Surprisingly little is known about the use of neuromuscular blockers (NMBs) in intensive care units (ICUs) in the USA. Recently, Klessig et al. surveyed anesthesiologists/intensivists in the USA and found that the 55% who responded used NMBs in the ICU in an average of 10 patients per ICU per month. Anxiolytics and analgesics were administered concomitantly with NMBs, but a majority of respondents did not use electrophysiologic measures of the degree of blockade. ⋯ More than half the patients were treated for < or = 24 h, the remainder for 2 days to > 3 weeks. Twitch monitors were used for monitoring the degree of neuromuscular blockade in adult patients, and all patients received sedatives/analgesics. We estimated that the risk of clinically significant, prolonged neuromuscular blockade following the discontinuation of NMBs was 5% per year.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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To determine what data are currently being collected at the critical care bedside, the role of flow sheets in storing these data, and what other forms and locations are used to store critical care data. ⋯ The lack of standardization regarding key information that should be collected and archived in critical care units identifies important risk management and quality assurance issues. There is a need for agreement on what information should be collected and maintained at the bedside in order to provide quality patient care.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 1993
[Group of study SIAARTI of anesthesia and recovery for neurosurgery and neurology. Present and future].
The authors present the results of a survey of anesthesiologists members of the "SIAARTI (Società Italiana di Anestesia, Analgesia, Rianimazione e Terapia Intensiva) Committee for anesthesia and critical care in neurosurgery and neurology". Among the aims of the survey, was to evaluate when the interest in neuroscience of the members of this group started, and the clinical work dedicated to neuroanesthesia and critical care. At present, the group has grown to 143 members. ⋯ Of this, 6% chose a topic in neuroanesthesia and critical care. During the residency, the interest in neuroscience increased to 33%, that is 32 out of 97 responders discussed a thesis in neuroanesthesia and critical care. Forty-eight per cent of the members performs clinical work "exclusively" in neuroanesthesia, while 39% does it "mainly", and only 13% works in neurosurgery "fiftfully".