Effect of atorvastatin on the incidence of acute kidney injury following valvular heart surgery
Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors have the potential to reduce acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery through their pleiotropic properties. Here we studied the preventive... read more
Many Spirometers Used in Primary Care Deemed Inaccurate
Spirometers used in primary care offices are frequently inaccurate, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Applying percent error to clinical data set resulted in re-categorization... read more
St. Vincent Healthcare aims to modernize critical care for children
St. Vincent is raising funds for a $2.3 million renovation that will update the unit and create more privacy for the children and families who use it.... read more
Smoking Impacts Cardiac Structure, Function
Elderly smokers without evidence of heart disease still showed subtle alterations in left ventricular structure and impaired diastolic function in an analysis of data from an ongoing, prospective study.... read more
Hypoxic guard systems in anesthesia systems
Critical Care News met with Dr Jan Hendrickx, an expert in kinetics of inhaled agents and carrier gases, to hear his first impressions of the active hypoxic guard O2GUARD in anesthesia machine FLOW-i. Watch when Dr Hendrickx... read more
Neonatal Nurses: Helping the Tiniest Patients
In honor of National Neonatal Nurses Day, we interviewed five nurses in different facets of the field to give you a glimpse of what it’s like to be a neonatal nurse, including the challenges and rewards involved in caring... read more
5 Vaccine Myths Debunked
In the US, getting a child vaccinated is a must. You’ll see the vaccine requirement in schools, and even daycare. But just because it’s required doesn’t mean every parent agrees with it.... read more
A look at the growing specialty of hospitalist
A hospitalist is a doctor who focuses on work in the hospital, caring for patients and navigating an increasingly complex medical institution. Rather than focusing on an organ or a disease, the work revolves around the physical... read more
Early TIPS Beneficial in Acute Esophageal Variceal Bleeding
For patients presenting with acute esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB), early transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is associated with reductions in in-hospital rebleeding and mortality, with no increase in... read more
Quiet please in the intensive care unit
A new study shows that noise levels in the Intensive Care Unit can go well above recommended levels, disturbing both patients and the medical teams that care for them.... read more
High-Speed Confocal Imaging
Confocal microscopy, or more accurately confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), is a derivation of optical microscopy that allows both the optical resolution and contrast of micrographic images to be increased.... read more
ICUs Might Consider Avoiding Tap Water To Limit Pseudomonas Infections from Faucets
Interview with: Dr. Cohen Regev, M.D Head of the infectious diseases and infection control units Sanz Medical Center, Laniado hospital. The study was conducted in Sanz medical center, a 400-bed community hospital located... read more
Value of Adrenergic Blockade in Acute Severe TBI Questioned
Adrenergic blockade with the β-blocker propranolol and α2-agonist clonidine did not increase ventilator-free days after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a randomized controlled trial.... read more
Catheter ablation more effective than antiarrythmic escalation
Catheter ablation was found to be more effective than escalated antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy at treating patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) who had ventricular tachycardia... read more
Study: Hospital stewardship lowers antibiotic use, infections
Review finds a nearly 20% drop in overall antimicrobial use, almost 40% in the ICU.... read more
Decompressive craniectomy linked with decreased mortality in TBI
Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and refractory intracranial hypertension following 2 stages of standard therapy who were then randomized to receive decompressive craniectomy had lower rates of mortality and higher... read more
