Palliative Care in Intensive Care Unit of Cancer ill Patients
Mohamed Ahmed Ahmed Khlefa;
Abstract
Summary
T
he aim of this essay is to show that Critical care has dramatically evolved over the last three decades and produced effective treatments of diseases that were once unequivocally and hopelessly fatal. What were the events that mediated this evolution? Certainly, a better understanding of pathophysiology, especially at the molecular level is one event. Certainly, new pharmaceuticals targeting various mechanisms of disease are another event. But without question, technological innovation is an event that has exerted an extraordinary impact on modern critical care.
Patients who have cancer have a great tendency to acquire infections than general population. The critical ill cancer patients are at high risk for infections and its resulting complication. Multifactor are responsible for this high tended risk of infection. In addition to complex cancer treatment, disrupt of physical barriers including mucosal integumentary system, neutropenia, cellular and humoral immune dysfunction, spleenectomy, presence of indwelling vascular catheters, and local tumor effects contribute to increase risk of infection. In this population, organisms with low virulence potential are capable of causing significant morbidity and mortality. Organisms that cause infection in critical ill cancer patients span the entire gamut including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.
Oncologic emergencies can occur at any time during the course of a malignancy, from the presenting symptom to end-stage disease. Prompt identification of and intervention in these emergencies can prolong survival and improve quality of life, even in the setting of terminal illness. Such as hyperkalemia, hypernatremia, hypoglycemia, tumor lysis syndrome, cardiac tamponade, superior vena cava syndrome, neutropenic fever, spinal cord compression, increased intracranial pressure, seizures, hyperviscosity syndrome, leukostasis, and airway obstruction in patients with malignancies. Chemotherapeutic emergencies are also addressed.
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-limiting illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual, and to support the best possible quality of life for patients and their families, regardless of the stage of the disease, or the need for other therapies.
Palliative surgical procedures can be classified into two groups (1) procedures that directly relieve symptoms,(2)supportive procedures that guide or enable that delivery of non –surgical palliative treatment.
T
he aim of this essay is to show that Critical care has dramatically evolved over the last three decades and produced effective treatments of diseases that were once unequivocally and hopelessly fatal. What were the events that mediated this evolution? Certainly, a better understanding of pathophysiology, especially at the molecular level is one event. Certainly, new pharmaceuticals targeting various mechanisms of disease are another event. But without question, technological innovation is an event that has exerted an extraordinary impact on modern critical care.
Patients who have cancer have a great tendency to acquire infections than general population. The critical ill cancer patients are at high risk for infections and its resulting complication. Multifactor are responsible for this high tended risk of infection. In addition to complex cancer treatment, disrupt of physical barriers including mucosal integumentary system, neutropenia, cellular and humoral immune dysfunction, spleenectomy, presence of indwelling vascular catheters, and local tumor effects contribute to increase risk of infection. In this population, organisms with low virulence potential are capable of causing significant morbidity and mortality. Organisms that cause infection in critical ill cancer patients span the entire gamut including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.
Oncologic emergencies can occur at any time during the course of a malignancy, from the presenting symptom to end-stage disease. Prompt identification of and intervention in these emergencies can prolong survival and improve quality of life, even in the setting of terminal illness. Such as hyperkalemia, hypernatremia, hypoglycemia, tumor lysis syndrome, cardiac tamponade, superior vena cava syndrome, neutropenic fever, spinal cord compression, increased intracranial pressure, seizures, hyperviscosity syndrome, leukostasis, and airway obstruction in patients with malignancies. Chemotherapeutic emergencies are also addressed.
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-limiting illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual, and to support the best possible quality of life for patients and their families, regardless of the stage of the disease, or the need for other therapies.
Palliative surgical procedures can be classified into two groups (1) procedures that directly relieve symptoms,(2)supportive procedures that guide or enable that delivery of non –surgical palliative treatment.
Other data
Title | Palliative Care in Intensive Care Unit of Cancer ill Patients | Other Titles | العناية الملطفة داخل الرعاية المركزة لمرضــى الأورام | Authors | Mohamed Ahmed Ahmed Khlefa | Issue Date | 2015 |
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