Defibrillator-carrying drones could save lives, research suggests
Drones are already employed for anything from military to recreational use, from oil exploration to film-making, but they could also help save the lives of people who have suffered a cardiac arrest, research suggests. A... read more
Drug might alleviate post-surgical delirium and confusion
To blunt postoperative pain and reduce the need for opioid drugs following surgery, anesthesiologists often give patients low doses of the drug ketamine during operations. Recent research even suggests that the drug might... read more
A randomized trial of supplemental parenteral nutrition in underweight and overweight critically ill patients
Nutrition guidelines recommendations differ on the use of parenteral nutrition (PN), and existingclinical trial data are inconclusive. Our recent observational data show that amounts of energy/protein receivedearly in the... read more
Humidification During Mechanical Ventilation: A Systematic Review
Mechanical ventilation (MV) suppresses the mechanisms that heat and moisturise inhaled air; hence, humidification is mandatory during MV. However, a systematic review published in the journal Critical Care finds no clear... read more
Transthoracic echocardiography: an accurate and precise method for estimating cardiac output in the critically ill patient
Cardiac output (CO) monitoring is a valuable tool for the diagnosis and management of critically ill patients. In the critical care setting, few studies have evaluated the level of agreement between CO estimated by transthoracic... read more
Potential survival benefit of polymyxin B hemoperfusion in patients with septic shock
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether polymyxin B hemoperfusion (PMX-HP) improves the survival of patients with septic shock. Our results strongly suggest that PMX-HP reduces all-cause hospital mortality and... read more
A Randomized Trial of the Amikacin Fosfomycin Inhalation System for the Adjunctive Therapy of Gram-Negative VAP
Clinical failures in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by gram-negative bacteria are common and associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization. In this trial of adjunctive aerosol therapy... read more
Fewer Hospital Patients Harmed by Bedsores and Injuries
No one who enters a hospital for care expects to be harmed or sickened accidentally. Unfortunately, preventable errors and mishaps are all too common, occurring during one in six hospital admissions and killing at least 500... read more
Burn Till You’re Out
When using the technical definition of burnout: "The reduction of a fuel to nothing", it clearly describes the state of being of the few people that I have met who are having a burnout. The problem is huge and almost... read more
Management of Septic Shock
The results of the PRISM trials confirm that early intervention strategies, including early detection of sepsis, risk stratification, early administration of antibiotics, and appropriate fluid resuscitation, improve the outcomes... read more
The Basics of Veno-Arterial and Veno-Venous ECMO and the Indications of ECMO Therapy
Sean P. Kane, PharmD, BCPS, speaks with Elliott Cohen, MD about extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In the episode, the basics of Veno-Arterial (VA) and Veno-Venous (VV) ECMO are outlined and the indications of ECMO... read more
Intraoperative Infusion of Dexmedetomidine for Prevention of Postoperative Delirium and Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients
Intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine for prevention of postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing major elective non-cardiac surgery. Postoperative delirium occurs in 10% to 60%... read more
Malnutrition, Critical Illness Survivors, and Postdischarge Outcomes
The exposure of interest was malnutrition determined at intensive care unit (ICU) admission by a registered dietitian using clinical judgment and on data related to unintentional weight loss, inadequate nutrient intake, and... read more
WHO tries to keep certain antibiotics largely off the table
In a bid to battle antibiotic resistance, the World Health Organization for the first time has classified antibiotics into three categories, including one that lists the drugs it hopes will not be used except in circumstances... read more
Effect of Home Noninvasive Ventilation With Oxygen Therapy vs Oxygen Therapy Alone on Hospital Readmission or Death After an Acute COPD Exacerbation
In this randomized clinical trial of 116 patients, the addition of home noninvasive ventilation significantly prolonged time to readmission or death from 1.4 months to 4.3 months. Among patients with persistent hypercapnia... read more
Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment of C. difficile: Current State of the Evidence
This is a summary of a systematic review that evaluated the recent evidence regarding the accuracy of diagnostic tests and the effectiveness of interventions for preventing and treating Clostridium difficile (C. difficile)... read more
Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality
Clinical trials have documented that lowering blood pressure reduces cardiovascular disease and premature deaths. However, the optimal target for reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) is uncertain. This study suggests... read more
