tailieunhanh - Báo cáo khoa học: "Predicting whether the ICU can help older patients: score needed"

Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học Critical Care giúp cho các bạn có thêm kiến thức về ngành y học đề tài: Predicting whether the ICU can help older patients: score needed. | Available online http content 9 4 331 Commentary Predicting whether the ICU can help older patients score needed Maité Garrouste-Orgeas and Jean Carlet Medical-Surgical ICU Saint Joseph Hospital 75014 Paris France Corresponding author Maité Garrouste-Orgeas mgarrouste@ Published online 22 June 2005 This article is online at http content 9 4 331 2005 BioMed Central Ltd Critical Care 2005 9 331-332 DOI cc3750 See related research by De Rooij et al. in this issue http content 9 4 R307 Abstract Because the need for intensive care exceeds its availability in several countries intensivists must admit those patients most likely to benefit. Intensive care unit admissions of elderly patients will increase substantially in the near future. Decreased self sufficiency and quality of life are common after hospitalization in older patients and they may require discharge to a nursing home although some patients feel that life in a nursing home would be worse than dying. We have much to learn about matching the use of life-supporting treatments to the health-related values of older patients. A specific outcome-prediction score for older patients would help improve quality of care. The demographic revolution that is sweeping across industrialized countries will dramatically increase the absolute number of older individuals over the next 40 years. Identifying patients most likely to benefit from critical care is essential both to prevent suffering related to unnecessary treatments and to ensure optimal use of finite resources. Quality of life may be of greater concern for the elderly than for younger individuals. In this issue of Critical Care De Rootj et al. 1 review recent data on outcomes of elderly patients admitted to intensive care units ICUs discussing the impact of age diagnosis pre-admission functional status and patients preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments. They suggest that developing a .