Dialysis Treatment Dialysis treatment is provided for acute or chronic kidney failure with uremia. Acute kidney failure is a common consequence of various life-threatening conditions such as sepsis, acute liver failure, major trauma, acute pancreatitis, etc., and dialysis treatment is often administered in an intensive care unit. Acute kidney failure…
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Status epilepticus - Treatment This document reflects current procedures for the treatment of status epilepticus and includes recommendations regarding intensive care. Background and definition Status epilepticus (SE) is a condition involving abnormally prolonged or frequently recurring seizures, which in some cases pose a risk of long-term effects.1 The overall mortality…
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Circulatory Failure and Blood Pressure Raising Treatment Inotropic treatment refers to intravenous vasopressor treatment with potent short-acting vasoactive drugs. The commonly used drugs are synthetic fast-acting catecholamines. These medications are administered intravenously, either intermittently or continuously, via a central venous catheter (CVC) or a peripheral venous cannula (PVC). The treatment…
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Sedation of Intensive Care Patients Sedation for intensive care patients is provided according to the patient’s need for anxiety relief and pain management and is tailored to ongoing medical treatments and interventions. Sedation is usually given as an intravenous continuous infusion of two separate drugs in parallel. Sedation is routinely…
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Practical Patient Care for Patients with Hemophilia By Nina Jurander, specialist nurse at the Coagulation Center, Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. Reviewed by Fariba Baghaei, senior physician at the Coagulation Center, Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. Assessment of a Patient with Hemophilia A hemophilia patient does not stop bleeding without…
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Definition of Thrombocytopenia Platelet count (PLT) < 150 x 109 Approximately 50% of ICU patients experience thrombocytopenia at some point Associated with higher mortality Increased risk of bleeding No lower risk of thrombosis Thromboprophylaxis at PLT > 30 Facts about Platelets Produced in the bone marrow Derived from megakaryocytes Average…
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Goal-Related Sedation Various scales are used to determine and observe patients' alertness and level of consciousness in intensive care. Below, MAAS levels and RASS levels are presented. Increased sedation (low score) can increase the risk of respiratory and circulatory complications, while patient safety sometimes requires this. A desired RASS level…
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Premedication Adults Premedication usually includes an anesthesiological preoperative assessment of a patient before a surgical operation and the prescription of medications and possibly additional medical investigations before the surgery. Premedication is typically given about an hour before anesthesia starts on the ward but can also be given if necessary in…
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Postoperative pain should be prevented with adequate pain management Paracetamol Paracetamol is a basic analgesic with relatively few side effects at therapeutic doses. The usual treatment for adults is 1 g four times a day for up to one week. Paracetamol can also be administered in cases of elevated liver…
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