ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Effective use of sedative-hypnotic and analgesic agents is an integral part of providing patient comfort and safety. Of the numerous drugs administered, benzodiazepines, propofol, and narcotics are the most popular. Even these proven, time-tested sedative-hypnotics and analgesics are not perfect, however, and modern intensive care demands a more ideal product. The development of dexmedetomidine, an &agr;2-agonist, is an attempt to improve sedative/analgesic use and provide a drug that possesses the characteristics outlined inTable 1. It stimulates &agr;2-adrenergic receptors in the locus ceruleus to provide sedation and in the spinal cord to enhance analgesia. It also causes sympatholysis via central and peripheral mechanisms. Dexmedetomidine binds &agr;2-receptors eight times more avidly than clonidine and is shorter acting. It was initially evaluated as an anesthetic, but was associated with excessive bradycardia and hypertension, followed by hypotension. In late 1999, dexmedetomidine was approved for adult ICU use for less than 24 hours as a sedative infusion. It currently lacks approval in Europe. Most of the clinical experience with dexmedetomidine has been with surgical patients undergoing cardiac and vascular procedures. Careful patient selection and proper drug infusion are needed to avoid excessive deleterious hemodynamic results. Slower bolus loading over 20 minutes results in minimally decreased heart rate and blood pressure. Continuous infusion maintains unique sedation (patients appear to be asleep, but are readily roused), analgesic sparing effect, and minimal depression of respiratory drive. More experience with dexmedetomidine infusion in medical ICU patients and patients with complex end-organ dysfunction such as respiratory failure or systemic inflammatory response syndrome is needed before conclusions can be drawn about the drug's potential for wider application and its long-term (> 24 h) safety and effectiveness.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Remifentanil is an opioid with a unique pharmacokinetic profile. Its metabolism by nonspecific esterases results in rapid and uniform clearance leading to highly predictable onset and offset of action. This review will describe the features that set remifentanil apart from other opioids and outline its potential usefulness in a critical care setting. Most studies on remifentanil have been in postoperative neurosurgical and cardiothoracic ICU settings. In the former, the agent has proved especially useful because rapid predictable emergence from sedation allows regular clinical evaluation. Remifentanil also prevents procedure-associated rise in intracranial pressure. In the cardiac setting, the drug provides excellent intraoperative hemodynamic control while allowing return of spontaneous ventilation within minutes of discontinuation of the infusion. One study suggests that the use of remifentanil will reduce the need for postoperative intensive care, especially after hepatic transplantation.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

As the prevalence of resistant Gram-positive organisms in the critical care unit has increased, so have the associated morbidity and mortality and the cost of their treatment. As a result, more toxic and less active second-line agents and combinations of agents are used, often with limited evidence of clinical benefit. Although widely used, the role of glycopeptides is limited by increasing resistance and poor pharmacokinetics. New agents now in use, such as quinupristin/dalfopristin and Linezolid (Zyvox; Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI), show promise, as do diverse agents in development. The future is likely to bring greater therapeutic choice but, inevitably, further resistance.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Clinicians are increasingly aware that fungal pathogens are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Historically, these infections occurred in severely immunocompromised patients who were undergoing treatment for hematological malignancy or solid organ transplantation. Currently, however, systemic fungal infections are commonly seen in debilitated patients who are being nursed in intensive care or high-dependency units. These infections are mostly caused byCandida albicansbut there is a growing proportion of strains of non-albicans Candidaspp, some with reduced susceptibility to commonly used antifungals. The limited armamentarium of antifungal agents to date has meant that amphotericin B continues to be considered the most effective therapeutic agent albeit with a poor record of treatment-limiting side effects. The past decade has seen some encouraging developments in antifungal therapy. Three lipid formulations of amphotericin B showing reduced toxicity compared with the desoxycholate formulation are now licensed. There are three investigational triazoles currently undergoing evaluation that should prove important additions to existing members of this class. The echinocandin caspofungin is the first of a new class of antifungal agents with a novel mode of action, which has recently been approved for use in the United States.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

While current immunosuppressive drug regimens have significantly increased the rate of successful transplantation outcomes, they convey potentially serious and overlapping adverse effects. Cyclosporine and tacrolimus are the cornerstones of current immunosuppression, achieving excellent one-year renal graft survival rates. Other promising new drugs include sirolimus, which has been demonstrated to reduce efficacy failure rates among renal transplant recipients, and everolimus, which is currently undergoing clinical trials. Agents targeting novel sites in the immune response or disrupting the ischemia-reperfusion cascades are currently under development. Among them, only FTY720 is undergoing large-scale human clinical trials. With its unique mechanism of action and synergistic interactions with cyclosporine and sirolimus, it may provide the foundation for a new era in immunosuppression.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Acute pancreatitis is a disease with varying severity. Patients with the mild form do not require nutritional support because oral intake is resumed rapidly. Studies on nutritional support in acute pancreatitis have included patients with both mild and severe disease. In this heterogeneous group, total parenteral nutrition did not improve outcome compared with no nutrition at all. This is caused in part by an increase in septic complications during total parenteral nutrition. Likewise, no benefit from enteral nutrition was observed compared with no nutrition, probably because the group was heterogeneous or because nutritional goals were not achieved. Patients with severe acute pancreatitis become profoundly catabolic. This group undoubtedly requires nutritional support to treat undernutrition. The limited available data indicate that enteral nutrition, if well tolerated, is superior to parenteral nutrition for patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Based on current knowledge, a combination of early total parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition is advisable as soon as enteral nutrition is tolerated. Monitoring of gut function is crucial in this situation.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Increased intracranial pressure in patients with acute liver failure remains a major cause of mortality. Treatment options are limited, and without urgent liver transplantation, mortality rates of up to 90% are common in those who fulfill criteria for poor prognosis. Several studies in animal models of acute liver failure set the stage for the clinical application of moderate hypothermia in humans. Few patients are treated with hypothermia for increased intracranial pressure. However, data indicate that moderate hypothermia is a safe and effective method of treatment for increased intracranial pressure that is unresponsive to other medical therapies, and that this treatment can be used as a successful bridge to liver transplantation. Recent data also suggest that increases in intracranial pressure can be prevented during the dissection and reperfusion phases of liver transplantation for acute liver failure if patients are kept hypothermic during the surgical procedure. This article focuses on the use of moderate hypothermia for the treatment of increased intracranial pressure in patients with acute liver failure.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Serious intra-abdominal infections continue to plague patients and vex surgeons and other caregivers. The mortality rate can exceed 20%, and the morbidity associated with severe cases (eg, enterocutaneous fistula, ventral hernia resulting from open-abdomen management) requires reoperation and months of convalescence. There is no consensus as to the definition of severity and a paucity of studies that focus on treatment at the severe end of the spectrum. Attempts are being made to address the adequacy of operative management (adequacy of “source control”) in the context of randomized antibiotic trials. The surgical procedure is the primary treatment modality for most types of intra-abdominal infection, whereas antibiotic therapy is usually adjunctive. It remains to be determined whether the adequacy of source control can be quantified meaningfully.

ISSN:1070-5295    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID