COVID-19 ICU patients are at high risk of brain dysfunction

"Early reports of COVID-19 suggested that the lung dysfunction seen required unique management techniques including deep sedation. In the process, key preventive measures against acute brain dysfunction went somewhat by the boards," she added. Analysing patient characteristics from electronic health records, and care practices and findings from clinical assessments, the scientists found that about 90 per cent of patients tracked in the study were invasively mechanical ventilated at some point during hospitalisation, and 67 per cent on the day of ICU admission.

Patients receiving benzodiazepine sedative infusions were at 59 per cent higher risk of developing delirium, they added. In comparison, the patients who received family visitation were at 30 per cent lower risk of delirium, the study noted. "There's no reason to think that, since the close of our study, the situation for these patients has changed," said study senior author, Pratik Pandharipande.

"These prolonged periods of acute brain dysfunction are largely avoidable. ICU teams need above all to return to lighter levels of sedation for these patients, frequent awakening and breathing trials, mobilisation and safe in-person or virtual visitation," Pandharipande added.

Source: www.timesnownews.com

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