Clinical review: non-antibiotic strategies for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Ricard Ferrer, Antonio Artigas

Journal: Critical care (London, England) 2002;6(1):45-51

PMID: 11940265

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Abstract

Prevention of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) is the most important step towards reducing hospitalisation costs. The non-antibiotic prevention strategies include measures related to the correct care of the artificial airway, strategies related directly to the maintenance of the mechanical ventilator and the equipment, strategies focused in the gastrointestinal tract, and strategies related to the position of the intubated patients. While simple methods should be part of routine practice, the use of more invasive and expensive preventive measures should be used only in patients who are at high risk of NP. The appropriate use of these techniques can reduce the incidence of NP in intensive care unit patients.

Address: Centre de Critics, Hospital de Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain. [email protected]

DOI: 10.1186/cc1452

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MeSH Terms: Cross Infection, Enteral Nutrition, Gloves, Protective, Hand Disinfection, Humans, Infection Control, Intubation, Gastrointestinal, Intubation, Intratracheal, Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Parenteral Nutrition, Pneumonia, Posture, Protective Clothing, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Risk Factors, Ventilators, Mechanical