Critical Care Alert – September 1, 2009

September 1, 2009

• Respiratory Therapist-driven Protocol for Non-ICU Surgical Patients Reduces ICU Use and Decreases Costs

  Harbrecht and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh studied the effects of a targeted protocol for respiratory assessment and management in patients admitted to the hospital's neurosurgery step-down, trauma/surgery step-down, and trauma/surgery general units.

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• Cleaning Stethoscopes with Ethanol-based Cleaner vs Isopropyl Alcohol — Which Is Better?

  For many years, infection-control experts have focused on improving the hand hygiene habits of health care providers.

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• Can Mixed Venous Saturation Be Monitored Non-invasively?

  The NICO monitor (Respironics, Inc.) uses co2 production, estimated from changes in exhaled CO2 during a brief period of rebreathing, to determine cardiac output via the Fick relationship.

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• Special Feature: Critical Care Management of the Patient with Elevated Intracranial Pressure

  Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) occurs as a complication of neurosurgical emergencies including traumatic brain injury (TBI) and intracranial hemorrhage or due to medical illnesses, such as meningitis or fulminant hepatic failure.

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• Pharmacology Watch: Tamoxifen, SSRIs, and Breast Cancer Recurrence

  In this issue: Tamoxifen and CYP2D6 inhibitors, FDA Actions, and FDA Warnings.

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• Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement

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