Common sedation practice, as recently as in the 1980s and 1990s, mandated high levels of sedation to shield patients from the tolls of their acute illness and the related treatment. Evidence of the adverse effects that this form of sedation management on a patient’s cognition, morbidity, and mortality has led to a gradual but contnious shift in routine clinical practice. This newly emerged body of evidence has ultimately led to clinical guideline recommendations advocating for alert and cooperative patients. This podcast episode will take you on a journey of how we see light & color art supporting the ongoing transformation of critical care.
Read MoreLight Therapy for the ICU Patient: What's the Evidence? /
Circadian dysrhythmia affects the majority of ICU patients and has far-reaching effects on organ functioning. At the level of the central nervous system, circadian misalignment facilitates executive cognitive dysfunction and the development of ICU delirium. The pathophysiological mechanisms, especially in the cohort of critically ill patients, appear to be complex, multilayered and far from understood.
Read MoreLighting Therapy for ICU Patients /
A fundamental aspect of human physiology is its cyclical nature over a 24-h period, a feature conserved across most life on earth. Evidence is emerging that ICU delirium, a syndrome independently associated with increased mortality and long-term morbidity from critical illness, and affecting up to 80% of critically ill patients, is a clinical manifestation of circadian dysrhythmia. There is increasing research activity investigating the impact of lighting on human health.
Innovative ICU Solutions for Prevention of Delirium & PICS /
Our recently published review discusses innovative concepts and promising approaches in ICU design that may be used to prevent stress and to support the healing process of patients, potentially limiting the impact of delirium and PICS.
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