Prospective Observational Evaluation of Predatory Journals in Critical Care Pharmacy Practice: Defining Characteristics Associated With Receiving Unsolicited Invitations to Publish.

Open-access publishing promotes accessibility to scholarly research at no cost to the reader. The emergence of predatory publishers, which exploit the author-pay model by charging substantial publication fees for publication in journals with questionable publishing processes, is on the rise. Authors are solicited through aggressive marketing tactics, though who is targeted is not well described.

Phase 3 Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Early Trophic Enteral Nutrition With "No Enteral Nutrition" in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Septic Shock.

Background: The optimal dose and timing of enteral nutrition (EN) in septic shock are unclear.

Methods: We conducted a phase 3 single-center randomized controlled pilot trial comparing early trophic EN with "no EN" in mechanically ventilated adults with septic shock, with the hypothesis that implementing a protocol comparing early trophic EN with "no EN" in patients with septic shock would be feasible. Patients were randomized to early trophic EN or "no EN" until off vasopressor for 3 hours.

Characterization of alteplase therapy for presumed or confirmed pulmonary embolism during cardiac arrest.

Purpose: The dosing and administration of alteplase in cardiac arrest due to suspected or confirmed pulmonary embolism (PE) are characterized.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, cohort study evaluated adult patients who received alteplase during PE-induced cardiac arrest at 16 medical centers. Outcomes analyzed included alteplase dosing characteristics, cardiopulmonary resuscitation survival, time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), documented occurrence of major or minor bleeding, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and survival to discharge.

Optimizing drug therapy in the surgical intensive care unit.

This article provides a review of commonly prescribed medications in the surgical ICU, focusing on sedatives, antipsychotics, neuromuscular blocking agents, cardiovascular agents, anticoagulants, and antibiotics. A brief overview of pharmacology is followed by practical considerations to aid prescribers in selecting the best therapy within a given category of drugs to optimize patient outcomes.

Use of prasugrel in a patient with clopidogrel hypersensitivity.

Objective: To report a case of successful use of prasugrel following percutaneous coronary intervention with placement of a bare metal stent in a patient with a documented hypersensitivity reaction to clopidogrel.

Case Summary: A 61-year-old male with a history of coronary artery disease with coronary stent placement presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The patient had developed Stephens-Johnson syndrome 6 years earlier following clopidogrel administration, characterized by erythematous plaques and subsequent desquamation of the hands and feet; clopidogrel was discontinued and he was subsequently treated with ticlopidine in addition to aspirin.