Critical Care Alert – July 1, 2023

Cultural Sensitivity in End-of-Life Discussions in the Intensive Care Unit

When clinicians treat patients and communicate with families who come from cultures that are different from their own, cultural sensitivity can improve the experience for families.

Patients with COVID-19 on ECMO Therapy Benefit from Early Guided Palliative Care Communication

Patients with severe COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome that require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support can benefit from implementing palliative care communication early in their treatment course.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants vs. Warfarin When Treating Renal Dysfunction

A patient-level meta-analysis of five pivotal trials of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) vs. warfarin for patients with atrial fibrillation and creatinine clearance levels ranging from normal to 25 mL/min revealed standard-dose DOACs exhibit superior safety and efficacy compared to adjusted-dose warfarin and lower-dose DOACs.