Factors associated with increased mortality and prolonged length of stay in an adult intensive care unit.

Objective: The intensive care unit is synonymous of high severity, and its mortality rates are between 5.4 and 33%. With the development of new technologies, a patient can be maintained for long time in the unit, causing high costs, psychological and moral for all involved.

The use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation in the palliative care of a patient with metastatic thoracic sarcoma: case report.

Background And Objectives: Palliative care is based on prevention and relief of suffering, identifying, assessing and treating pain and other physical, psychological, social and spiritual problems. Sudden dyspnea is frequently observed in terminal oncologic patients. In these cases, noninvasive ventilation can be an adequate option to control dyspnea promoting comfort and allowing patient interaction with their relatives.