Nutrition Management in the ICU*

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/reprint/115/suppl_2/145S.pdf?ck=nck

Samuel Chan, MD; Karen C. McCowen, MB; and George L. Blackburn, MD, PhD

Malnutrition is an alteration of body composition in which deficiencies of macronutrients and
micronutrients result in reduced body cell mass, organ dysfunction, and abnormal serum chemistry values. Nutrition support plays a vital role in the prevention and treatment of nutritional deficiencies in appropriately selected, at-risk, critically ill patients in the ICU.1 Patients most likely to benefit from nutritional support are those with baseline malnutrition
in whom a protracted period of starvation would otherwise occur. In well-nourished persons with
short (, 1 week) anticipated duration of nil per os status, it is very difficult to demonstrate improvement in outcome with nutrition support.