1.
J Intensive Care Med
; 29(1): 47-52, 2014.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23753225
ABSTRACT
Autism comprises a growing segment of the population and can be a management challenge in the intensive care unit (ICU). We present the case of a 22-year-old male with severe autism and intellectual disorder who developed respiratory failure and required a prolonged ICU course. This patient exhibited severe distress, aggression, and self-injurious behavior. Management challenges included sedation, weaning from sedation, and liberation from mechanical ventilation. Success was achieved with a multispecialty team and by tailoring the environment and interactions to the patient's known preferences. The use of dexmedetomidine to wean high-dose benzodiazepines and opiates also permitted successful liberation from mechanical ventilation.
Subject(s)
Adrenergic alpha-Agonists/therapeutic use , Autistic Disorder/therapy , Dexmedetomidine/therapeutic use , Intellectual Disability , Intensive Care Units , Adrenergic alpha-Agonists/administration & dosage , Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use , Benzodiazepines/therapeutic use , Conscious Sedation , Dexmedetomidine/administration & dosage , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Humans , Male , Respiration, Artificial , Respiratory Insufficiency/complications , Treatment Outcome , Ventilator Weaning , Young Adult
2.
JAMA
; 302(22): 2432; author reply 2432, 2009 Dec 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19996395
3.
JAMA
; 301(15): 1541-2; author reply 1542, 2009 Apr 15.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19366770