According to a new study, more than half of intensive care unit patients suffer from infections, increasing their risk of dying. The lungs were the most common site for infection, followed by the abdomen and bloodstream.
The study researchers analyzed data collected from 13, 796 patients, aged 18 or older, from 1, 265 ICUs from 75 different countries during one day (May 8, 2007). From their research, they found that 51% of patients were classified as infected with 71% on antibiotics for the treatment or prevention of infections.
Overall, the study found that the longer a patient stayed in an ICU, the more likely they were to acquire an infection. In fact, the infection rate for patients that had spent a day or less in the ICU was 32%, compared with those who had spent more than seven days in the ICU, who had an infection rate of 70%. Moreover, infections contributed greatly to the death rates of patients in the ICU. For example, the ICU death rate for infected patients was twice that of patients who acquired no infections. Most importantly, the study sheds light on the fact that infections are still a problem in most hospitals, and that it is important to provide infection prevention and management.
recently named in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyer's In America, David Mittleman has been representing seriously injured people since 1985. A partner with Church Wyble PC—a division of Grewal Law PLLC—Mr. Mittleman and his partners focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slip and falls, nursing home injury, pharmacy/pharmacist negligence and disability claims.
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