Nutritional Support of the Critically Ill Patient

Abstract

Nutritional support of the critically sick patient has become increasingly important especially in cases where the illness is prolonged. The need for attention to the nutritional requirements of the patient has arisen because the improved treatment of sepsis, cardiovascular failure and fluid and electrolyte balance has allowed patients to survive to a point where nutrition becomes a limiting factor in their further progress. In several patients, despite the advances in surgical and medical treatment, continuing malnutrition limits the survival of the patient because of gastrointestinal disease. The presence of concomitent gastrointestinal disease in the critically sick patient results in the inability of the patient to eat and/or absorb a normal oral diet. Under these circumstances, malnutrition often adds to continuing burden of illness and results in severe morbidity and mortality.