Postoperative Hypotension After Cardiac Surgery Is Associated With Acute Kidney Injury.

Objectives: To describe the incidence of postoperative hypotension in patients undergoing cardiac surgery during the first 12 hours in the intensive care unit (ICU) and any relationship between hypotension and the development of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Design: This was a retrospective, observational cohort study.

Setting: The study took place in a single-center tertiary teaching hospital in London, UK.

Information sharing between intensive care and primary care after an episode of critical illness; A mixed methods analysis.

Introduction: Poor quality communication between hospital doctors and GPs at the time of hospital discharge is associated with adverse patient outcomes. This may be more marked after an episode of critical illness, the complications of which can persist long after hospital discharge.

Aims: 1.

Duration of antibiotic therapy in the intensive care unit.

There are certain well defined clinical situations where prolonged therapy is beneficial, but prolonged duration of antibiotic therapy is associated with increased resistance, medicalising effects, high costs and adverse drug reactions. The best way to decrease antibiotic duration is both to stop antibiotics when not needed (sterile invasive cultures with clinical improvement), not to start antibiotics when not indicated (treating colonization) and keep the antibiotic course as short as possible. The optimal duration of antimicrobial treatment for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is unknown, however, there is a growing evidence that reduction in the length of antibiotic courses to 7-8 days can minimize the consequences of antibiotic overuse in critical care, including antibiotic resistance, adverse effects, collateral damage and costs.

What's new in multidrug-resistant pathogens in the ICU?

Over the last several decades, antibacterial drug use has become widespread with their misuse being an ever-increasing phenomenon. Consequently, antibacterial drugs have become less effective or even ineffective, resulting in a global health security emergency. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) varies widely among regions and countries.