Drug Shortages: Effect on Parenteral Nutrition Therapy.

Drug shortages continue to be a threat to the health and welfare of numerous patients in the United States. For patients who depend on parenteral nutrition (PN) for survival, these shortages pose an even greater threat. Almost 75% of active drug shortages are sterile injectables, which includes PN components.

Cancer Cachexia: Cause, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

Patients with cancer frequently experience unintended weight loss due to gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction caused by the malignancy or treatment of the malignancy. However, others may present with weight loss related to other symptoms not clearly associated with identifiable GI dysfunction such as anorexia and early satiety. Cancer cachexia (CC) is a multifactorial syndrome that is generally characterized by ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass with or without fat loss, often accompanied by anorexia, weakness, and fatigue.

A.S.P.E.N. clinical guidelines: parenteral nutrition ordering, order review, compounding, labeling, and dispensing.

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a high-alert medication available for patient care within a complex clinical process. Beyond application of best practice recommendations to guide safe use and optimize clinical outcome, several issues are better addressed through evidence-based policies, procedures, and practices. This document provides evidence-based guidance for clinical practices involving PN prescribing, order review, and preparation.

Treatment of unintentional weight loss in patients with cancer.

Malnutrition from anorexia and reduced nutrient intake is common in patients with cancer. Abnormalities in gastrointestinal function caused by the tumor or treatment of the tumor may be direct causes for nutrition challenges. However, other patients may present with cancer cachexia, a wasting syndrome characterized by weight loss, anorexia, early satiety, progressive debilitation, and malnutrition that results in a greater risk of organ dysfunction and death.