From: Enteral vs. intravenous ICU sedation management: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
---|---|
SAPS II ≥ 32 points | Neurosurgical patients |
Estimated length of mechanical ventilation at ICU admission ≥ 3 days | CNS diseases (epilepsy, stroke, dementia, post-anoxic coma) |
Age ≥ 18 years | Liver encephalopathy (Child-Pugh C) |
 | Previous psychiatric or cognitive pathology |
 | Allergy to medications used in the study |
 | Absolute contraindications to the use of enteral route (nasogastric tube, nasojejunal tube, jejunostomy, ileostomy are all considered acceptable) |
 | Pregnant or breast-feeding patients |
 | Death is deemed imminent and inevitable or the patient has an underlying disease process with a life expectancy of < 90 days |