Critical Care
RSSArticles
-
Role of Early VA-ECMO Implementation in Patients with Rapidly Deteriorating Severe Cardiogenic Shock
The ECMO-CS trial found that using early VA-ECMO in patients with rapidly deteriorating or severe cardiogenic shock (Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions stages D or E) did not result in better patient outcomes compared to initial conservative care.
-
ICU Physician Wellness and Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic
A binational, cross-sectional survey including 431 questionnaires assessing wellness and coping among physicians who worked in the intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic found that physicians experienced moderate intrapandemic moral distress and burnout, yet also experienced moderate professional fulfillment.
-
Clarity and Consistency Help Families Facing Serious Medical Decisions
Different clinicians use similar-sounding terms. Families may make decisions based on how the clinician presents a situation. It is critical for medical providers to choose their words carefully.
-
Black and Hispanic People Are Less Likely to Receive Out-of-Hospital Bystander CPR Regardless of Cardiac Arrest Location
Based on a large U.S. registry that included information on witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, Black and Hispanic people were less likely than white people to receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, independent of the neighborhood where the cardiac arrest occurred.
-
Apixaban Had Lower Risk of GI Bleed than Other Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
In this multinational, population-based cohort study among patients with atrial fibrillation, apixaban use was associated with lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding with similar rates of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, intracranial hemorrhage, and all-cause mortality.
-
An Early Rigorous Mobilization Approach Did Not Increase Number of Days Out of the Hospital for Intubated Patients
Among adults requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, the TEAM study reported that increased early mobilization resulted in no significant difference in the number of days that patients were alive and out of the hospital at 180 days after randomization.
-
Noninvasive Ventilation Can Be Used Safely for Patients with COVID-19
When appropriate precautions (adequate room ventilation, use of total face masks, dual-limb circuits, and filters) are used, environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 during noninvasive ventilation is low. Noninvasive ventilation does not appear to increase the risk of COVID-19 infection for healthcare workers or patients when precautions are applied.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Malpractice Lawsuits Allege Wrongful Prolongation of Life
The top problems in these cases are charting and communication among caregivers.