Critical Care
RSSArticles
-
Malpractice Lawsuits Allege Wrongful Prolongation of Life
The top problems in these cases are charting and communication among caregivers.
-
Multiple Legal Issues with ED End-of-Life Care
An attorney argues missing the opportunity to respect autonomy in care decision-making for a patient who no longer desires curative care should be considered a poor outcome.
-
Some ED Patients Undergo Unwanted End-of-Life Care
Despite uncertainty, it is possible to provide value-concordant care in the ED. Identify those patients, and initiate decisions based on goals of care, not just by a default reflexive pathway. This could help improve patients’ experiences and outcomes broadly, by targeting the right treatments to the right patients.
-
2022-2023: A Severe Season for Respiratory Syncytial Virus
The 2022-2023 northern hemisphere respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season began with fury, crowding hospitals and making many young children extremely ill. Meanwhile, advancing research points to potential means of better preventing RSV infection.
-
Does Selective Decontamination of the Digestive Tract Reduce In-Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Adults?
The SuDDICU randomized controlled trial of Australian patients found that selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) did not significantly decrease in-hospital mortality, although the confidence interval around the effect estimate includes a clinically important benefit. In a separate systematic review and meta-analysis that included 32 randomized trials and 24,389 participants, SDD was associated with reduced hospital mortality compared with standard care.
-
Does Surviving an ECMO Stay Put Patients at Greater Risk for Mental Health Problems?
Survivors of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have a modest increase in risk of new mental health diagnoses after discharge compared with intensive care unit survivors who do not undergo ECMO.
-
Patients with Solid Tumors Admitted with Septic Shock: Outcomes and Mortality Predictors
The presence of metastatic disease, respiratory failure, elevated lactate levels, and poor prior performance scores were independent predictors of mortality in patients with solid tumors admitted with septic shock.
-
Controversy Erupts Over Expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying
Ethical controversy has erupted over Canada’s expansion of eligibility criteria for medical assistance in dying.
-
Apixaban for Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease
There is a lower risk of bleeding for those taking apixaban during venous thromboembolism treatment compared to warfarin in patients with end-stage kidney disease.
-
Aggressive Fluid Resuscitation in Acute Pancreatitis Does Not Lead to Improved Outcomes
In this multicenter randomized clinical trial, an early aggressive fluid resuscitation strategy led to an increased incidence of fluid overload without reducing the risk of developing moderately severe or severe acute pancreatitis.