 |
|
Intensive care units' prevention of pneumonia in critically-ill patients generally strong
May 21, 2008TORONTO, Ontario, Canada -- Mayo Clinic researchers found that the frequency with which critically-ill patients developed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is approximately the same at a multidisciplinary medical center such as Mayo Clinic compared to the average VAP-risk rate for 211 hospitals in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). This is good news for patients because it suggests that care levels are generally strong across the U.S. in intensive care units, which is where the sickest patients -- many of them elderly -- are treated. This is true despite variety in levels of care offered by individual hospitals.
The study also is helpful because it identified the fact that the VAP-risk rate for patients in a specific kind of intensive care unit, the trauma intensive care unit (TICU), was lower at Mayo Clinic, as compared to the NHSN average. This kind of finding is what the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) intended when it made the NHSN data available in a June 2007 report. In that report, CDC analysts instructed hospitals to use the data to guide local prevention strategies and other quality improvement efforts aimed at reducing infection rates. The Mayo group presented its findings this week at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto. The data showed that the Mayo Clinic risk rate for VAP in intensive care units (ICU) for trauma patients averaged 3.4 per 1,000 days of mechanical ventilation. This compares to the VAP average of 10.2 per 1,000 days in trauma ICUs participating in the NHSN.
The reason for this variation is not known, and the difference needs to be validated through further study. But these preliminary results identify a need for improvement to lower the 10.2 risk rate.
Significance of the Mayo Clinic Research
"The topic is an important one to study because developing VAP is a potential risk for all critically-ill patients who must be on an invasive mechanical ventilator greater than 48 hours," says Mayo lead author Ahmed Mahmoud, M.B.B.S.
"As the demographics of this country change, the number of frail elderly who end up hospitalized and needing ventilation in a TICU is likely to increase," adds senior author Bekele Afessa, M.D., of Mayo's pulmonary and critical care medicine group. "We want to do our best to eliminate the potential for any additional disease burden to patients. Understanding the risk of VAP in all ICU settings is a step toward that."
The Mayo study is the first to compare VAP-risk rates at (NHSN) hospitals to Mayo Clinic's experience as a single advanced medical center with integrated intensive care units and a unified approach to infection control. Mayo Clinic researchers studied 206 patients treated at Mayo Clinic's various ICUs between February and August 2007, and who consented to participate in the study.
Results
The Mayo Clinic comparison also showed that:
* The VAP-risk rate varies depending on the ICU medical specialty, from a low of 2.8 at Mayo Clinic's vascular/thoracic surgery intensive care unit and 5.7 in the analogous units of NHSN to a high of 10.2 per 1,000 ventilator days in NHSN trauma intensive care units.
* The Mayo VAP-risk data range from 2.8 to 8.2 across various kinds of ICUs at Mayo Clinic; 2.8 for vascular and thoracic surgery, 8.2 for neurology and 4.9 for cardiac surgery.
* Of the 19 bacteria isolated from the patients, the Mayo study found that the most common pathogen causing VAP was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This information is helpful in determining the best antibiotic treatment for VAP. Acting on it could perhaps help prevent levels of VAP elsewhere.
Mayo Clinic
Significance of the Mayo Clinic Research
"The topic is an important one to study because developing VAP is a potential risk for all critically-ill patients who must be on an invasive mechanical ventilator greater than 48 hours," says Mayo lead author Ahmed Mahmoud, M.B.B.S.
"As the demographics of this country change, the number of frail elderly who end up hospitalized and needing ventilation in a TICU is likely to increase," adds senior author Bekele Afessa, M.D., of Mayo's pulmonary and critical care medicine group. "We want to do our best to eliminate the potential for any additional disease burden to patients. Understanding the risk of VAP in all ICU settings is a step toward that."
The Mayo study is the first to compare VAP-risk rates at (NHSN) hospitals to Mayo Clinic's experience as a single advanced medical center with integrated intensive care units and a unified approach to infection control. Mayo Clinic researchers studied 206 patients treated at Mayo Clinic's various ICUs between February and August 2007, and who consented to participate in the study.
Results
The Mayo Clinic comparison also showed that:
* The VAP-risk rate varies depending on the ICU medical specialty, from a low of 2.8 at Mayo Clinic's vascular/thoracic surgery intensive care unit and 5.7 in the analogous units of NHSN to a high of 10.2 per 1,000 ventilator days in NHSN trauma intensive care units.
* The Mayo VAP-risk data range from 2.8 to 8.2 across various kinds of ICUs at Mayo Clinic; 2.8 for vascular and thoracic surgery, 8.2 for neurology and 4.9 for cardiac surgery.
* Of the 19 bacteria isolated from the patients, the Mayo study found that the most common pathogen causing VAP was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This information is helpful in determining the best antibiotic treatment for VAP. Acting on it could perhaps help prevent levels of VAP elsewhere.
Mayo Clinic
Pneumonia Current Events and Pneumonia News RSSAmid the flu epidemic, don't forget RSV in young children
Influenza, particularly H1N1, has understandably captured the attention of public health officials, the media and the public.
Prioritizing low-cost, simple health measures would save 2.5 million child lives a year
Almost a third of the children under age five who die each year could be saved if governments rebalance health spending to ensure low-cost, simple interventions such as safe water and hygiene, bed nets and basic maternal and newborn care, leading aid agency World Vision said today. Currently, 8.8 million children a year die before age five, most of preventable causes.
Fewer emergency patients seen within recommended time frame
One in four emergency department patients in 2006 waited longer to be evaluated by a clinician than recommended at triage, an increase from one in five in 1997.
Possible help in fight against muscle-wasting disease
A compound already used to treat pneumonia could become a new therapy for an inherited muscular wasting disease, according to researchers at the University of Oregon and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York.
Henry Ford Hospital study: A MRSA strain linked to high death rates
A strain of MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
Commentary warns of unexpected consequences of proton pump inhibitor use in reflux disease
Despite being highly effective and beneficial for many patients, unexpected consequences are emerging in patients who are prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for reflux diseases.
Scientists discover influenza's Achilles heel: Antioxidants
As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu-antioxidants.
Lessons from flu seasons past
Pregnant women who catch the flu are at serious risk for flu-related complications, including death, and that risk far outweighs the risk of possible side effects from injectable vaccines containing killed virus, according to an extensive review of published research and data from previous flu seasons.
Older Patients with Dementia at Increased Risk for Flu Mortality
An epidemiological study on pneumonia and influenza (P&I) in adults age 65 and over reports that patients with dementia are diagnosed with flu less frequently, have shorter hospital stays, and have a fifty percent higher rate of death than those without dementia.
OMRF scientists discover promising new path for treating traumas
A discovery by scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation could help save lives threatened by traumatic injuries like those sustained in car crashes or on the battlefield. The work also holds potential for treating severe infectious diseases and diabetes.
More Pneumonia Current Events and Pneumonia News Articles
 |
PNEUMONIA (STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIA) GIANT MICROBES by Giant Microbes Pneumonia can take your breath away. |
 |
Diagnosis and Management of Pneumonia and Other Respiratory Infections by Alan Fein (Author), Ronald Grossman (Author) Treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia, when to hospitalize a patient, methods of identifying low-risk CAP patients, switch and step-down therapy, approach to nonresloving pneumonia, management of parapneumonic effusions, empyema, and chronic bronchitis are discussed. The various antimicrobial agents are reviewed in deatil with suggested treatment regimens. |
 |
Pneumonia by Whiskeytown In their brief, volatile tenure as a working band--which spawned just two proper albums, Faithless Street (1995) and Strangers Almanac (1997)--Whiskeytown never quite fulfilled their considerable promise. But prior to their ultimate split, the band made a record that was buried for nearly three years by industry snafus. Pneumonia was well worth the wait. The band's final lineup (singer and songwriter Ryan Adams, violinist Caitlin Cary, and guitarist Mike Daly) is augmented by special guests such as Tommy Stinson of the Replacements and James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins. Sure, Adams doesn't quite grasp what he's reaching for on the Latin-tinged "Paper Moon," and "Sit & Listen to the Rain" is about as exciting as its title suggests. But "Jacksonville Skyline," a hometown ode that's sweetly... |
 |
Community Acquired Pneumonia Guidelines Pocketcard : Infecti by International Guidelines Cntr The Community-Acquired Pneumonia GUIDELINES Pocketcard is endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). This practical quick-reference tool contains screening, diagnostic, treatment algorithm, drug therapy, dosing information, patient monitoring and counseling points. |
 |
Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu Johnny Rivers (Primary Contributor) |
 |
Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Strategies for Management by Antoni Torres (Editor), Rosario Menendez (Editor) Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) refers to pneumonia acquired outside of hospitals or extended-care facilities, and is distinct from Nosocomial or hospital-acquired pneumonia, which is a separate disease entity. It is one of the most common respiratory infections and presents one of the major health problems today, with an incidence that ranges from eight to fifty cases per thousand individuals each year. Mortality is still very high and yet the risk factors are very well known. Many of these are related to antibiotic treatment; delay in administration, inadequacy of empiric antibiotics and lack of adherence to guidelines for treatment are all clearly associated with poor treatment outcomes.
Following a description of the epidemiology and microbial etiology of... |
 |
Preventing Flu and Pneumonia (Home Use) Part of the award winning public television series Healthy Body/Healthy Mind. Nearly everyone has heard of "flu season." It's a time of year when forms of the influenza virus are more likely to infect people. Flu and another lung disease, Pneumonia, can be debilitating and deadly. According to the American Lung Association, flu and pneumonia together are ranked as the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. But there are steps people can take to prepare and try to prevent these conditions. This program will outline the basics about flu and pneumonia and offer physician recommendations on the best ways to prevent these diseases. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. |
 |
Community-Acquired Pneumonia GUIDELINES Pocketcard: Infectious Diseases Society of America and American Thoracic Society (2008) by International Guidelines Center The Community-Acquired Pneumonia GUIDELINES Pocketcard provides all that is needed to make accurate clinical decisions at the point of care including: Key Points; CURB-65 Severity Scores for CAP; Pneumonia PORT Severity Index (PSI); Evaluation and Initial Management Algorithm; Criteria for Severe Community Acquired Pneumonia; Clinical Indications for more Extensive Diagnostic Testing; Initial Empirical Antibiotic Therapy for Suspected Bacterial CAP; Current Medication Tables with Brand and Generic Names; Detailed drug information - strengths, formulations, comments. |
 |
Sav-A-Caf Scours & Pneumonia Treatment, 6 Lbs by Milk Products Inc Dried Animal Serum, Dried Whey Protein Concentrate, Animal Fat (Preserved With Bha, Bht, Citric Acid & Ethoxyquin), Dried Bovine Colostrum, Dried Whey, Coconut Oil, Glycine, Dicalcium Phosphate, Corn Syrup Solids, Etc. |
 |
Drug Resistant Pneumonia Directed By: Information Television Network |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |