Risk factors for acute kidney injury associated with the treatment of bacterial endocarditis at a tertiary academic medical center.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of endocarditis.

Objective: To determine risk factors for the development of AKI in patients treated for endocarditis.

Methods: This single centre, retrospective univariate and multivariate analysis to determine risk factors for the development of AKI included patients diagnosed with endocarditis between January 2009 and October 2013.

Evaluation of a clinical pathway for sedation and analgesia of mechanically ventilated patients in a cardiac intensive care unit (CICU): The Brigham and Women's Hospital Levine CICU sedation pathways.

Background: Intravenous sedation and analgesia are important therapies during mechanical ventilation (MV). However, daily interruption of these medications is associated with improved outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients. We tested a clinical pathway for the use of sedation and analgesia during MV in a cardiac intensive care unit (CICU).