Critical Care Alert – January 1, 2007

January 1, 2007

• Preventing Nosocomial Infection in Cardiac Surgery by Topical Oro-Nasal Decontamination

  Segers and colleagues of the University of Amsterdam conducted this randomized, double-blind clinical trial at a 480-bed community hospital that performs 1200 cardiac surgical procedures annually.

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• Nurses Caring for Elders at Home Report More Errors at Work

  This study reports findings from a sample of 393 nurses who completed a daily log book for 28 days by recording information about work hours, sleep/wake patterns, perceptions of fatigue and stress, and errors or near errors during work shifts.

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• Reversing Lung Collapse and Hypoxemia in Early ARDS

  Borges and colleagues in Sao Palo, Brazil, studied 26 patients with acute lung injury or the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to determine whether atelectatic lung areas could be fully recruited and oxygenation improved using a protocol employing progressively higher levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP).

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• What You Need To Know About West Nile Virus

  West Nile Virus (WNV) infection is a growing epidemic that impacts more persons and more aspects of our health care system yearly. A significant percentage of affected patients require admission to and care in an intensive care unit (ICU).

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• Pharmacology Watch: Study: Long-Term Use of Clopidogrel for DES Patients

  Drug Labels A Prescription for Misunderstanding?; Osteonecrosis of the Jaw New Side-Effect to Bisphosphate Use; Beta-Blockers and Depression Unlinked?; FDA Actions

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• Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement

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