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In this study of administrative data from patients admitted to 421 U.S. hospitals with acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, 41% received long-acting bronchodilators, which are not recommended in this setting. Comparison with patients who did not receive the long-acting agents showed no evidence for clinical or economic benefit from their use.
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Although studies in animals and preliminary reports in patients with ARDS suggested that statin administration might be beneficial in patients with the syndrome, this multicenter, double-blind clinical trial showed no benefit from simvastatin by any measure examined.
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cardiovascular condition behind myocardial infarction and stroke, with an incidence rate of about one per 1000 person-years.1,2 Nearly 5% of the population will experience
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Using retrospective cohort data from a national survey of medical and mixed medical-surgical ICUs, this study found that nurse practitioner (NP)/physician assistant (PA) staffing was common and not associated with any differences in in-hospital mortality compared to ICUs without NP/PAs.
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Dehydration is an independent predictor of discharge outcome and admission cost in acute ischaemic stroke.
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Reintubation following unplanned extubation in critically ill post-operative patients is associated with increased hospital mortality.
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Examination of outcomes in 710,535 patients in relation to the timing of ICU discharge showed that being moved out to the ward between 1800 and 0600 hours was associated with increased risks of both in-hospital death and unplanned ICU readmission.
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As hospitals in the United States and other resource-intensive countries prepare for the care of patients with possible Ebola virus disease, the greatest impact on its clinical outcome and further spread will most likely come from the application of existing basic critical-care and infection-control principles.
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Intravascular catheters are an essential component of the practice of critical care medicine. These devices are used to deliver life-sustaining intravenous fluids, antibiotics, parenteral nutrition, blood, and blood products, and to monitor the hemodynamic status of critically ill patients.
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With the health care penny being squeezed dry its not unexpected that nurses report they are unable to provide quality of care consistent with professional standards in todays hospitals, says Julie Sochalski, RN, PhD, professor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
