Liberation From Mechanical Ventilation in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Underrepresentation and Exclusion of Patients with Cardiovascular Disease in Intensive Care Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

The complexity of the contemporary cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) has increased due a growing prevalence of multisystem, noncardiac illnesses. Despite this increase, patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are often underrepresented from intensive care randomized controlled trials (RCT). We sought to quantify the representation of patients with cardiovascular disease comorbidities in intensive care RCTs.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE for trials published from 2007 to 2019 with the five highest journal impact factors in the disciplines of critical care medicine, general internal medicine, and cardiovascular disease. Prospective RCTs in the adult (age ≥18 years), intensive care setting with ≥50 individuals were included. Study characteristics, proportion of patients with CVD and cardiovascular exclusion criteria were extracted independently by two reviewers. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of cardiovascular exclusion and representation.

RESULTS

A total of 412 eligible RCTs were identified for analysis, 132 (32.0%) of which included specific CVD-related exclusion criteria with history of heart failure (29.5%) and of ischemic heart disease (26.5%) being the most common exclusions. Exclusions were more likely in multicenter trials and varied substantially across study intervention categories. Representation of CVD, reflected by the reporting of any CVD history, was noted in 150 (36.4%) RCTs. Of those reporting, the prevalence of any CVD, ischemic heart disease and heart failure were 15.7%, 13.2% and 10.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Those with comorbid CVD are both frequently excluded and underrepresented in intensive care RCTs, limiting the application of RCTs to this physiologically complex patient population.

Optimizing Sedation Strategies in the Cardiac ICU: Induction, Maintenance and Weaning

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We aim to summarize the available literature guiding tailored sedation practices for specific conditions encountered in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CICU).

RECENT FINDINGS

Data specific for the CICU population is lacking. Preclinical data and observational studies guide sedation approaches for specific pathologies that we have used to generate a guideline for sedative choice for various scenarios. We discuss the challenges associated with extubation and highlight the importance of spontaneous breathing trials and role of non invasive ventilation. Understanding the underlying pathology and the effects of sedation and positive pressure ventilation is the base to guide induction and sedation management for patients in the CICU. There is a pressing need for further research to generate high quality clinical data to improve sedation techniques in the CICU.

Navigating Heart-Lung Interactions in Mechanical Ventilation: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Advanced Management Strategies in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Beyond

Patients in critical condition who require mechanical ventilation experience intricate interactions between their respiratory and cardiovascular systems. These complex interactions are crucial for clinicians to understand as they can significantly influence therapeutic decisions and patient outcomes. A deep understanding of heart-lung interactions is essential, particularly under the stress of mechanical ventilation, where the right ventricle plays a pivotal role and often becomes a primary concern. Positive pressure ventilation, commonly used in mechanical ventilation, impacts right and left ventricular pre- and afterload as well as ventricular interplay. The right ventricle is especially susceptible to these changes, and its function can be critically affected, leading to complications such as right heart failure. Clinicians must be adept at recognizing and managing these interactions to optimize patient care. This perspective will analyze this matter comprehensively, covering the pathophysiology of these interactions, the monitoring of heart-lung dynamics using the latest methods (including ECHO), and management and treatment strategies for related conditions. In particular, the analysis will delve into the efficacy and limitations of various treatment modalities, including pharmaceutical interventions, nuanced ventilator management strategies, and advanced devices such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Each approach will be examined for its impact on optimizing right ventricular function, mitigating complications, and ultimately improving patient outcomes in the context of mechanical ventilation.

Acute Decompensated Valvular Disease in the Intensive Care Unit

Acute decompensated valvular disease encompasses a group of complex and challenging conditions, which are often the primary reason for admission to the cardiac intensive care unit and can also complicate the management of other primary cardiac disorders. Critically ill patients with valvular disease also present unique diagnostic and management challenges. Historically, medical and percutaneous interventional therapies have been limited and surgery was the only definitive treatment; however, surgical risk can at times be prohibitive. High-quality evidence to direct management of acute valvular disorders in this population is lacking and societal guidelines largely do not address treatment options for critically ill patients with decompensated valvular disease. In this review, we discuss the clinical presentation and epidemiology of commonly encountered valvular diseases in the modern cardiac intensive care unit, highlight key pathophysiology, detail gaps in evidence, describe the pivotal role of multidisciplinary Heart Teams, and provide guidance for management.

Tracheostomy in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Respiratory Failure

OBJECTIVE

Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by respiratory failure require antiplatelet regimens which often cannot be stopped and may increase bleeding from tracheostomy. However, there is limited available data on both the proportion of patients undergoing tracheostomy and the impact on antiplatelet regimens on outcomes.

METHODS

Utilizing the Vizient® Clinical Data Base, we identified patients ≥18 years admitted from 2015 to 2019 with a primary diagnosis of AMI and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). We assessed for the incidence of patients undergoing tracheostomy, outcomes stratified by the timing of tracheostomy (≤10 vs >10 days), and the association between dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) use and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

We identified 26 435 patients presenting with AMI requiring IMV. The mean (SD) age was 66.8 (12.3) years and 33.4% were women. The incidence of tracheostomy was 6.0% (n = 1573), and the median IMV time to tracheostomy was 12 days, 55.6% of which underwent percutaneous and 44.4% underwent open tracheostomy. Over 90% (n = 1424) underwent tracheostomy (>10 days) and had a similar mortality when compared to early (≤10 days) tracheostomy (22.5% vs 22.8%, P = 0.94). On the day of tracheostomy, only 24.7% were given DAPT, which was associated with a lower mortality than those not on DAPT (17.4% vs 23.7%, P = 0.01). After multivariable adjustment, DAPT use on the day of tracheostomy remained associated with lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval: 0.49-0.94, P = 0.02). Tracheostomy complications were not different between groups (P > 0.05), but more patients in the DAPT group required post-tracheostomy blood transfusions (5.6% vs 2.7%, P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Approximately 1 in 20 intubated AMI patients requires tracheostomy. The lack of DAPT interruption on the day of tracheostomy but not the timing of tracheostomy was associated with a lower in-hospital mortality. Our results suggest that DAPT should not be a barrier to tracheostomy for patients with AMI.

Noninvasive Ventilation in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Over the last several decades, the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) has seen an increase in the complexity of the patient population and etiologies requiring CICU admission. Currently, respiratory failure is the most common reason for admission to the contemporary CICU. As a result, noninvasive ventilation (NIV), including noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula, has been increasingly utilized in the management of patients admitted to the CICU. In this review, we detail the different NIV modalities and summarize the evidence supporting their use in conditions frequently encountered in the CICU. We describe the unique pathophysiologic interactions between positive pressure ventilation and left and/or right ventricular dysfunction. Additionally, we discuss the evidence and strategies for utilization of NIV as a method to reduce extubation failure in patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation. Lastly, we examine unique considerations for managing respiratory failure in certain, high-risk patient populations such as those with right ventricular failure, severe valvular disease, and adult congenital heart disease. Overall, it is critical for clinicians who practice in the CICU to be experts with the application, risks, benefits, and modalities of NIV in cardiac patients with respiratory failure.