115 research outputs found

    Effect of remote ischemic conditioning on atrial fibrillation and outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting (RICO-trial)

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    Background: Pre- and postconditioning describe mechanisms whereby short ischemic periods protect an organ against a longer period of ischemia. Interestingly, short ischemic periods of a limb, in itself harmless, may increase the ischemia tolerance of remote organs, e.g. the heart (remote conditioning, RC). Although several studies have shown reduced biomarker release by RC, a reduction of complications and improvement of patient outcome still has to be demonstrated. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common complications after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), affecting 27-46% of patients. It is associated with increased mortality, adverse cardiovascular events, and prolonged in-hospital stay. We hypothesize that remote ischemic pre- and/or post-conditioning reduce the incidence of AF following CABG, and improve patient outcome.Methods/design: This study is a randomized, controlled, patient and investigator blinded multicenter trial. Elective CABG patients are randomized to one of the following four groups: 1) control, 2) remote ischemic preconditioning, 3) remote ischemic postconditioning, or 4) remote ischemic pre- and postconditioning. Remote conditio

    Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

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    Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

    Advantages and limitations of noninvasive devices for cardiac output monitoring: a literature review

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    International audiencePURPOSE OF REVIEW: Individualized hemodynamic optimization often requires cardiac output monitoring, mostly for goal-directed therapy in the operating room and fluid responsiveness assessment in the intensive care unit. Different technologies for noninvasive cardiac output determination have become available over the recent years. It is therefore crucial for care providers to be made aware of the advantages and limitations of those different devices for an appropriate use at the bedside. RECENT FINDINGS: Nowadays, different noninvasive technologies exist, each with their advantages and limitations, but none are considered interchangeable with bolus thermodilution. Different clinical studies however, emphasize that the trending ability of such devices allows to guide decisions from care providers, and that their use may be associated with improved prognosis, especially in the operating room. Recent studies have also reported their potential use for hemodynamic optimization in specific populations. SUMMARY: Noninvasive cardiac output monitoring may have a clinical impact on patient outcomes. Further studies are required to evaluate their clinical relevance, notably in the intensive care unit. Noninvasive monitoring opens up the possibility for hemodynamic optimization in specific or low-risk populations, the benefit of which remains to be assessed
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