Articles: critical-care.
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As the treatment of respiratory failure becomes more sophisticated and technical, the critical care nurse is faced with many challenges. High-frequency ventilation is a modality of respiratory support employing principles different from those of conventional ventilation. For these reasons, the nurse must be familiar with the indications for its use and the practical management of the ventilated patient. This paper addresses those aspects of respiratory support which have the greatest impact on nursing care.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 1984
Adult respiratory distress syndrome: hospital charges and outcome according to underlying disease.
We reviewed the hospital charges, underlying diagnoses, and hospital outcomes in 39 patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) admitted to the respiratory ICU of a university hospital between July 1979 and June 1981. Charges per patient ranged from $9263 to $187,893 with a median of $52,894. Median ICU charges were $2430/day. ⋯ Only 1 of 27 patients with underlying hematologic/oncologic diseases survived, compared to 6 of 12 patients with other underlying diseases. Charges and outcomes in this study reflect the underlying patient population and philosophy of care at the study institution. Considering the high costs and poor outcomes in ARDS patients with underlying hematologic/oncologic problems, we recommend that the appropriateness of aggressive treatment be reconsidered.
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Infusionsther Klin Ernahr · Aug 1984
[Effect of Nutriflex 48 on the plasma amino acid pattern in surgical intensive care patients with infection].
Nutriflex 48 (48 g amino acids and 1250 nonprotein kcal/l), containing 20% branched chain amino acids, was infused in a dose of 2000 ml per day over a period of 14 days to 8 surgical intensive care patients with sepsis and concomitant liver dysfunction. Cumulative nitrogen balance was negative on each day of investigation, as aspected in those patients. ⋯ These results seem to indicate that in septic patients a total parenteral nutrition with conventional amino acid solutions containing normal concentrations of branched chain amino acids, is possible. The results of the present study show that the necessity of parenteral nutrition in septic patients with highly branched chain amino acids can not be supported.