Drug Use in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit

1986 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 752-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph F. Dasta

A retrospective review of drug usage in 180 patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit was conducted. The average stay was three days and the total and daily number of drugs averaged 7.6 and 5.6, respectively. The most common drug class used was antibiotics, with cefazolin being the most commonly used antibiotic. Other commonly used drugs include analgesics, diuretics, H2-antagonists, vasoactive drugs and inotropes, antacids, and antiarrhythmics. This study indicates that patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit are exposed to a variety of potent drugs, often given in combination over a short time period. Although further studies are needed to delineate specific aspects of drug use and patient characteristics, this study suggests that there is a need for close monitoring of drug therapy in these patients with special attention to reduction of drug costs.

Trauma ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 146040862110191
Author(s):  
Albert GP van Zyl ◽  
Nadiya Ahmed ◽  
Ryan Davids

Background Trauma places a significant burden on scarce South African critical care resources. The impact of the lockdown period in 2020 on these resources has not been studied. Restrictions on citizen movement and alcohol sales during the lockdown period presented a unique time period to investigate the burden of trauma on a low–middle-income country tertiary hospital intensive care unit. Methods A retrospective observational analysis of all patients admitted to a tertiary hospital surgical intensive care unit during the lockdown period in 2020, compared to the same time period in 2019 and 2018. Data were analysed to detect if a significant difference was present in the number of trauma admissions, length of stay and mechanisms of trauma. Results A significant decrease in the number of trauma admissions to ICU in 2020 was observed as compared to 2018 and 2019 during the same period ( p = <0.001), with a reduction of nearly 50%. The incidence of trauma admissions was lower in all individual lockdown levels in 2020 as compared to 2018 and 2019, and the lowest incidence was recorded in level 5 of 2020. There was no difference among the length of stay of trauma patients in ICU in 2018, 2019 and 2020. There was no difference between the incidence of trauma admissions during lockdown level 3 (with and without alcohol sales) in 2020 compared to 2018. The profile of penetrating and non-penetrating trauma over the 3 years was the same ( p = 0.22). There were no interactions between years, lockdown periods and penetrating trauma ( p = 0.22). Interpretation There was a significant decrease in the trauma burden presented to the surgical ICU during the lockdown period in 2020. Levels with the strictest restrictions on movement and alcohol use had the greatest measurable impact. The decreased number of trauma patients admitted in 2020 was comparable to the national trend of decreased trauma numbers recorded in all levels of the national healthcare system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S40-S41
Author(s):  
Mohammad H Al-Shaer ◽  
Eric Rubido ◽  
Daniel Lee ◽  
Kenneth Klinker ◽  
Charles Peloquin

Abstract Background Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a powerful tool to optimize antibiotic exposure. It seldom has been used for β-lactams (BLs). We present our BL data in patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Methods This retrospective study included SICU patients at UF Health (2016 and 2018) who received BL therapy and had TDM. Data collected included demographics, APACHE scores, platelet count, serum creatinine (Scr), infection source, cultures/susceptibilities, BL regimens, and plasma concentrations. Clinical cure was defined as resolution of infection-related symptoms at the end of therapy. Microbiologic eradication was defined as eradication of causative organism from the primary source out to 30 days after therapy. Pharmacokinetic and statistical analyses were performed on Phoenix v8.0 and JMP Pro v14. Results A total of 127 patients were included. Table 1 shows the baseline characteristics. The median age was 55 years, and weight was 83 kg. Eighty-three (65%) were male. P. aeruginosa was the most common isolated bacteria (n = 38). Lung was the most common source of infection (n = 50). Table 2 summarizes the median (IQR) doses, infusion times, calculated free trough concentrations (fCmin) of common BLs, and the reported minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Calculated median time above the MIC (fT > MIC) for 66 (52%) patients was 100%. A total of 99 (79%) patients had clinical cure and 67 (61%) patients had microbiologic eradication. For efficacy, the Cmin/MIC ratio predicted the microbiologic eradication in wound infections only (n = 15, OR 1.09 [95% CI 1.01–1.24]). Using stepwise regression, 1-unit increase fT > MIC and APACHE score was associated with 0.84 decrease (P = 0.03) and 0.62 increase (P = 0.004) in days of therapy, respectively. For safety, Figure 2 shows the increase in Scr vs. BL free area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to end of the dosing interval (fAUC0-tau). Cefepime fAUC0-tau predicted neurotoxicity (OR per 20 unit increase 1.08 [95% CI: 1.01–1.18]). Conclusion In SICU patients, increase in fT > MIC was associated with shorter treatment duration, and fAUC0-tau increase was associated with an increase in Scr and incidence of neurotoxicity. TDM is warranted in this population to optimize therapy. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.


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