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Critical care medicine news
A new approach to assessing patients with disorders of consciousness
In intensive care units, some patients who appear unconscious occupy a gray zone in their relationship to the world. To better diagnose them and predict their recovery potential, Dragana Manasova, Jacobo Sitt, and their colleagues ...
Jan 8, 2026
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Simple change in sepsis treatment could save thousands of lives
A University of Virginia-led team of researchers has made a discovery that may change sepsis treatment for patients in Africa.
Jan 7, 2026
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Adrenaline restarts the heart after in-hospital cardiac arrest
Giving adrenaline to hospital patients whose heart has stopped is very effective, and can increase the chance of bringing their heart rate back to normal by a factor of five.
Jan 7, 2026
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Shared experience in trauma teams links directly to improved patient outcomes
A new study published in Organization Science titled "Transactive Memory Systems and Hospital Trauma Team Performance: Shared Experience in Action Teams" reveals that trauma patients have better outcomes when they are treated ...
Jan 6, 2026
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In Fort Worth, mobile blood transfusion program has saved lives
Strapped to a stretcher in the back of an ambulance, the shooting victim moaned, then screamed. Blood splattered across the person's cheeks and neck, seeped through the gauze looped around a leg and dripped onto the floor.
Jan 5, 2026
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Nurses with a sense of teamwork more likely to take breaks, which mitigates burnout
Nurses in critical care units who perceive higher levels of teamwork with their colleagues are more likely to take breaks during their shifts, according to new research from The Center for Health Design published in American ...
Jan 2, 2026
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Signature neural patterns may help predict recovery from traumatic brain injury
After traumatic brain injury (TBI), some patients may recover completely, while others retain severe disabilities. Accurately evaluating prognosis is challenging in patients on life-sustaining therapy.
Dec 23, 2025
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AI could help predict nutrition risks in ICU patients
A new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) could help predict which critically ill patients on ventilators are at risk of underfeeding, potentially ...
Dec 22, 2025
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Special breathing tubes don't improve emergency intubation outcomes, trial finds
Modified endotracheal tubes designed to reduce patient pneumonia risk failed to improve outcomes compared to standard breathing tubes, researchers report in a new study.
Dec 18, 2025
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Where medicine meets melody—how lullabies help babies and parents in intensive care
Playing soothing live music in intensive care units not only helps parents bond with their baby but also provides a moment's respite from an uncertain and stressful situation, says a senior doctor in the The BMJ.
Dec 17, 2025
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Some ventilator settings can double airway stress
Mechanical ventilation saves lives, but the airflow it produces inside an intubated airway can also shape conditions linked to complications during long-term support. In a recent study, SUNY Polytechnic Institute faculty ...
Dec 17, 2025
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Using both genetic information and AI to diagnose pneumonia could curb the overuse of antibiotics
Lung infections like pneumonia are among the world's top killers—but diagnosing them is notoriously hard. Now, researchers at UC San Francisco have found a way to identify these infections in critically ill patients by ...
Dec 16, 2025
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Many children miss timely follow-up care after critical illness, study finds
When the unthinkable happens and a child is left critically ill or injured, the miracle workers in pediatric intensive care units around the country work tirelessly to save their lives.
Dec 14, 2025
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Blood test reveals clearer prognosis after cardiac arrest
A blood biomarker yet to be used in cardiac arrest care can give a clearer picture of the extent of brain damage after a cardiac arrest. This has been shown in a large international multicenter study led by researchers at ...
Dec 12, 2025
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Helping ICU patients regain independence: How early rehabilitation can speed recovery
A multicenter study across Japan found that ICU patients receiving more intensive rehabilitation regained independence faster after critical illness. Among 121 patients on mechanical ventilation, higher rehabilitation dose ...
Dec 11, 2025
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Preventive care protocol lowers risk of kidney injury after major surgery
The kidneys are among the most important organs of the human body. Every day they filter around 1,500 liters of blood, regulate electrolyte and fluid balance, control blood pressure and play a central role in detoxifying ...
Dec 10, 2025
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Sedative choice could improve outcomes for breathing tube patients
Doctors treating seriously ill patients in an emergency setting may want to give the sedative etomidate, rather than ketamine, while placing a breathing tube, according to a randomized trial published in the New England Journal ...
Dec 9, 2025
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Life-saving frozen blood platelets prove safe to use in critically injured patients
Research has proven frozen blood platelets are safe and effective for use in critically injured patients—a breakthrough dramatically extending their shelf life for transfusions from one week to two years.
Dec 9, 2025
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Immunotherapy works for sepsis thanks to precision approach
Immunotherapy for sepsis is effective when doctors tailor the treatment precisely to the patient's immune system condition. While earlier research showed little benefit of immunotherapy in sepsis, a new study demonstrates ...
Dec 8, 2025
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Ethics roadmap guides responsible AI integration in intensive care
Delirium is a common but often undiagnosed condition in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. To improve early detection, a transdisciplinary team has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that analyzes facial expressions ...
Dec 3, 2025
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Drug that costs as little as 50 cents per day could save hospitals thousands
A study led by McMaster University researchers shows that a widely available and inexpensive medication not only prevents potentially serious stomach bleeding in critically ill patients, but also saves hospitals thousands ...
Dec 1, 2025
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BRIDGE-ICU workflow associated with reduced nonbeneficial ICU care
Conversations with newly admitted patients and their families about goals of care are designed to provide clarity and align treatment with their preferences, but an inconsistent approach may instead lead to nonbeneficial ...
Dec 1, 2025
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A hospital-acquired bacterium can travel from lungs to gut, raising sepsis risk
A hospital-acquired bacterium that causes serious infections can move from the lungs to the gut inside the same patient, raising the risk of life-threatening sepsis, new research reveals.
Nov 25, 2025
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How machine learning can help optimize treatment for septic shock
A multi-institutional research team has demonstrated how AI and machine learning can optimize therapy selection and dosing for septic shock, a life-threatening complication that is the leading cause of hospital deaths.
Nov 20, 2025
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