Intensive care is a high stakes environment. Patients are admitted if they are very sick, with unstable physiology and organ failures, and they have many different underlying acute and chronic illnesses requiring complex organ support, such as artificial ventilation, and complex drug therapies. The combination of physiological instability and organ failures dramatically alters the way drugs are handled by the body (pharmacokinetics) and this can be potentially harmful and is certainly chaotic. Standard recommended doses of drugs may be associated with accumulation and drug toxicity but treatment failure may also occur if the changes caused by the illness prevents sufficient drug levels being reached.
Prescribing in intensive care requires a dynamic response of dose reviews and adjustments. Understanding the potential changes in pharmacokinetics is essential for effective prescribing strategies. Professor Philips will discuss her research of physiological changes in critically ill patients and how prescribing is affected.
Free event. All are welcome. If you would like to attend, please register online no later than 48 hours prior to the event.