Enteral versus intravenous approach for the sedation of critically ill patients: a randomized and controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

ICU patients must be kept conscious, calm, and cooperative even during the critical phases of illness. Enteral administration of sedative drugs might avoid over sedation, and would be as adequate as intravenous administration in patients who are awake, with fewer side effects and lower costs. This study compares two sedation strategies, for early achievement and maintenance of the target light sedation.

Methods

This was a multicenter, single-blind, randomized and controlled trial carried out in 12 Italian ICUs, involving patients with expected mechanical ventilation duration > 72 h at ICU admission and predicted mortality > 12% (Simplified Acute Physiology Score II > 32 points) during the first 24 h on ICU. Patients were randomly assigned to receive intravenous (m

SUBMITTER: Mistraletti G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6323792 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature