The following is a summary of “Overview of the Medical Management of the Critically Ill Patient” published in the  December 2022  Issue of  Nephrology by Martinez, et al.

The treatment of the patient’s underlying disease is given the majority of the medical team’s attention when caring for critically ill patients (e.g., sepsis or respiratory failure). However, over the course of the last 10 years, there has been a growing awareness of the significance of commencing early preventative treatment for problems that may result from receiving treatment in an intensive care unit setting. 

There has been an increase in the occurrence of postintensive care syndrome, which can be characterized as a decline in physical, cognitive, or psychologic function, among those who have survived serious illnesses. This deterioration can occur after receiving intensive medical care. The goal of the Intensive Care Unit Liberation Bundle, a major initiative of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, is to facilitate the return to normal function as quickly as possible. This is done to reduce the amount of iatrogenic harm that occurs during the provision of necessary critical care. These ideas are applicable in a general sense to patients treated by nephrologists in intensive care units, and they may be of particular use to patients who are suffering from kidney failure and are undergoing dialysis or have recently received a kidney transplant.

In this study, researchers will briefly summarize some known organ-based consequences associated with a critical illness. Investigators will also review the components of the ABCDEF bundle (the conceptual framework for Intensive Care Unit Liberation), highlight the role that nephrologists can play in implementing and complying with the ABCDEF bundle, and briefly discuss areas in which additional research is needed.

Source: cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/17/12/1805

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