title: Ventilator-associated pneumonia among cardiac surgery patients: what can we do for prevention?
abstract: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is associated with high mortality and morbidity and significantly increases intensive care unit length of stay and costs of care. In a pre- and postintervention study, we found that the majority of patients (63%) had an antecedent condition that necessitated emergent intubation prior to surgery. Efforts should be directed to developing strategies to minimize the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia in emergent intubations, decrease reintubations, and reduce the use of blood products.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Research, Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, Falls Church, Virginia 22042, USA. Lhenry6@cox.net
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halpin
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Liza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szelkowski
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vourlekis
authors.forename: Niv
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ad
mesh_terms: D016913:Blood Component Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012307:Risk Factors