Systematic Review and Synthesis - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... presence of hypothermia on admission was correlated with worse outcomes including ICU LOS, functional outcomes (GCS and Glascow Outcome Scored-Extended), and death in their sample of brain injured patients
Binks et al (2010) carried out a study to determine how many intensive care units in the United Kingdom were using Hypothermia as part of their post-cardiac arrest management. The study was conducted in all UK ICUs that were present in the 2008 UK directory of critical care. However, the information important to this study was obtained 243 intensive care units (98.4%).
After carrying out the study, Binks et al (2010), found out that out of 243 investigated intensive care units, about 85.6% (208) had used therapeutic hypothermia for patients after suffering from cardiac arrest. Further, out of the ICUs using therapeutic hypothermia; 206 (99%) usually or sometimes considered the use of TH in patients who had an out of hospital VF/ Ventricular tachycardia (VT) arrest. In addition, 126 (61%) usually or sometimes used TH after patients had undergone pulse less electrical activity (PEA). Finally, 132 (64%) usually or sometimes used TH following in-hospital cardiac arrest.
The study showed that the use of TH in the United Kingdom’s intensive care units had increased after the introduction of the international Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) recommendations. Several intensive care units across UK have decided to use therapeutic hypothermia to treat patients suffer from cardiac arrest. Clinical practice based on previous research (evidence based practice) has since shaped the way patients are being cared for. Clinicians had decided to use the available research on therapeutic hypothermia to treat cardiac arrest patients.
According to Thompson, Catherine and Mitchell (2010), the presence of hypothermia on admission was correlated with worse outcomes including ICU length of stay (LOS), functional outcomes (GCS and Glascow Outcome Scored-Extended), and ...Download file to see next pagesRead More