Thinking Clearly

Brain dysfunction during critical illness (ie, delirium and coma) is extremely common, and its lasting effect has only become increasingly understood in the last two  decades. Brain dysfunction in the intensive care unit (ICU) is an independent predictor of both increased mortality and long-term impairments in cognition among survivors. As critical care medicine has grown, important insights regarding brain dysfunction in the ICU have shaped our practice includ ing the importance of light sedation and the avoidance of deliriogenic drugs such as benzodiazepines. Best practices are now strategically incorporated in targeted bundles of care like the ICU Liberation Campaign’s ABCDEF Bundle.

Source: Critical Care Clinics - May 24, 2023 Category: Intensive Care Authors: Kimberly F. Rengel, Matthew F. Mart, Jo Ellen Wilson, E. Wesley Ely Source Type: research