Critical Care Alert – May 1, 2012

May 1, 2012

• Abstract & Commentary: ICU Bed Availability Appears to Influence Goals of Care but not Hospital Mortality

  This study examined outcomes for 3494 adult patients who experienced clinical deterioration that triggered a medical emergency team (MET) activation over a 2-year period.

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• Abstract & Commentary: Failure to Adhere to Evidence-Based Guidelines Worsens Outcomes: Support from a Large Study in Trauma Patients

  Rice and colleagues report a secondary analysis of outcomes among trauma patients in relation to the degree to which the clinicians managing them adhered to a specified set of evidence-based guidelines.

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• Abstract & Commentary: Factors that Increase Risk for ICU Readmission: Implications for ICU Discharge Practices

  The purpose of this study was to use data from the multi-institutional APACHE IV database (Cerner Corporation) to compare characteristics of and outcomes for patients who were readmitted to the ICU and those who were not readmitted after ICU discharge; to identify risk factors for ICU readmission; and to examine case-mix adjusted outcomes for patients with and without ICU readmission.

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• Abstract & Commentary: Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation and Prevention of Post-Extubation Respiratory Failure

  This study from Portugal addresses an important gap in managing patients who have been extubated after an episode of acute respiratory failure facilitating the clearance of airway secretions to avoid the necessity of reintubation.

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• Pharmacology Watch: Does Aspirin Prevent Cancer?

  In this issue: Aspirin and cancer prevention; rivaroxaban for pulmonary embolism; new rhinosinusitis practice guidelines; and FDA actions.

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• Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement

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