Critical Care Alert – June 1, 2016

June 1, 2016

• Patients Rarely Sleep in the ICU

  Understanding the mechanisms of sleep deprivation in the ICU may help clinicians modify some of these factors to promote better quality sleep.

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• Delaying Intubation in Severe Alcohol Withdrawal

  Delaying intubation until aspiration or cardiopulmonary decompensation did not affect mortality but increased the incidence of pneumonia and length of stay.

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• Communication Facilitators Potentially Can Improve Care for the Sickest ICU Patients

  Highly trained communication facilitators who counseled families and met with physicians and nurses were shown to decrease symptoms of depression in family members at six months and decreased ICU length of stay without affecting mortality.

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• Acetazolamide in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with COPD: Is There a Benefit?

  Compared to placebo, the use of acetazolamide in mechanically ventilated patients with COPD does not significantly reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation.

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