Critical care rationing: international comparisons.

Every country has finite resources that are expended to provide citizens with social "goods," including education, protection, infrastructure, and health care. Rationing-of any resource-refers to distribution of an allotted amount and may involve withholding some goods that would benefit some citizens. Health-care rationing is controversial because good health complements so many human endeavors.

Development of an acute ischemic stroke management course for hospital physicians in emergency departments and intensive care units.

The objective of this study was to evaluate a training course on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) for hospital physicians, part of a regional strategy on AIS patient care. The course comprised an initial self-study (e-Learning) stage and 1-day theoretical-practical course on initial AIS management for Critical Care and Emergency physicians in the Andalusian Health Service (Spain). Data were collected on regional implementation of the stroke code and intravenous thrombolysis treatment.

Analysis of physiologic alterations in intensive care unit patients and their relationship with mortality.

Purpose: To analyze patient physiologic alterations (events) and multiple organ failure during intensive care unit (ICU) stay and examine their relationship with ICU mortality.

Material And Methods: A total of 17598 consecutive patients were studied for 10 months (1997-1998) in 55 European ICUs (EURICUS-II). Hourly data were collected on critical and noncritical systolic blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and urinary events throughout ICU stay.

Six-year mortality and quality of life in critically ill patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: To study the mortality and quality of life (QOL) of survivors at 6 yrs after intensive care unit (ICU) admission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Design: Prospective, multiple-center cohort study.

Setting: A total of 86 ICUs throughout Spain.

Outcome prediction in terms of functional disability and mortality at 1 year among ICU-admitted severe stroke patients: a prospective epidemiological study in the south of the European Union (Evascan Project, Andalusia, Spain).

Objectives: To analyse 1-year mortality and functional disability outcomes and resource use in critical stroke patients admitted to ICU.

Design And Setting: Multi-centre, prospective, observational study in 28 Spanish hospitals. PATIENTS.