It is well-known that patients in the intensive care units do suffer from a lack of sleep and frequent sleep disturbances. So how can we help the ITU patient sleep?
This is a Cochrane review looking at the efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions for sleep promotion in the critically Ill adults in the intensive care units.
Perhaps one of the main results to come from this Cochrane review was the poor quality of the studies that they included. They initially included 30 trials, giving them a total of 1569 participants. However the quality was generally low or very low and as a consequence only three trials, those concerning earplugs or eye masks or both, provided data it suitable for two separate meta-analysis.
I would like in this podcast just to summarise some of the articles that they actually looked at when considering how to optimise the patient’s sleep in the intensive care unit and the various methods used.
Summary:In this episode, we spotlight a stealthy ICU disruptor — hypophosphataemia. Based on a 2024 narrative review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, we explore why phosphate matters, how it goes missing in critically ill patients, and why you should care even when it’s just “a little low.”What’s Covered:The vital role of phosphate in energy,
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Mobilisation in the ICU raises two big questions: is it safe, and will staff embrace it?In this discussion, Jonathan explores both sides of the story:Safety first:Large prevalence studies show mobilisation is happening, though often inconsistently.A systematic review of 1,800+ sessions found serious adverse events in only 0.6% — most minor and short-lived.Even patients on CRRT can safely mobilise
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