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Constipation in Intensive Care

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Diet and Nutrition in Critical Care

Abstract

Studies have shown that the incidence of constipation in critically ill patients varies from 15 % to 83 %, mainly due to the fact that there is a lack of definition standardization. Registration and monitoring is observed to be neglected by intensive care teams to the detriment of other gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and presence of gastric residue. The etiology is complex, and different factors are involved, with a relevance to the use of opioids, low splenic perfusion due to shock, and dietary changes. Constipation can be inserted into a broader context, a severe intestinal dysfunction, which correlates with the organ dysfunctions compromising the clinical outcome of critically ill patients. Constipation in these patients is associated with high rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality, besides longer hospital admission and mechanical ventilation. It is essential to standardize protocols in the intensive care unit for the management of gastrointestinal disorders, aiming at improving these patients prognosis.

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Abbreviations

APACHE II:

Acute physiology and chronic health disease classification system II

FiO2:

Fraction of inspired oxygen

GI:

Gastrointestinal

GIF:

Gastrointestinal failure

GTI:

Gastrointestinal tract

ICU:

Intensive care unit

mmHg:

Millimeter of mercury

MODS:

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

MV:

Mechanical ventilation

PaO2:

Arterial partial pressure of oxygen

PEG:

Polyethylene glycol

SIRS:

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome

SOFA:

Sequential organ failure assessment score

vs:

Versus

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Nutrition and Dietetics, Asa Norte Regional Hospital, SMHN Quadra 101/Área Especial, 70710-905, Asa Norte Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Tatiana Souza Lopes de Guerra, Norma Guimarães Marshall & Simone Sotero Mendonça

Authors
  1. Tatiana Souza Lopes de Guerra
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  2. Norma Guimarães Marshall
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  3. Simone Sotero Mendonça
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norma Guimarães Marshall .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Free London Hospitals, Barnet General Hospital, London, UK

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  2. Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  3. King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  4. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Victor R. Preedy

  5. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood B. Patel

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de Guerra, T.S.L., Marshall, N.G., Mendonça, S.S. (2015). Constipation in Intensive Care. In: Rajendram, R., Preedy, V.R., Patel, V.B. (eds) Diet and Nutrition in Critical Care. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7836-2_142

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7836-2_142

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7837-9

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