Diagnosis, prevention, and management of delirium in the intensive cardiac care unit.

Delirium is a frequent complication in patients admitted to intensive cardiac care units (ICCU) with potentially severe consequences including increased risks of mortality, cognitive impairment and dependence at discharge, and longer times on mechanical ventilation and hospital stay. Delirium has been widely documented and studied in general intensive care units and in patients after cardiac surgery, but it has barely been studied in acute nonsurgical cardiac patients. Moreover, delirium (especially in its hypoactive form) is commonly misdiagnosed. We propose a protocol for delirium prevention and management in ICCUs. A daily comprehensive assessment to improve detection should be done using validated scales (ie, confusion assessment method). Preventive measures are particularly relevance and constitute the basis of treatment as well, acting on reversible risk factors, including environmental interventions, such as quiet time, sleep promotion, family support, communication, and adequate treatment of pain and dyspnea. Pharmacological prophylaxis is not indicated with the exception of patients at risk of withdrawal syndrome but should only be used in patients with confirmed delirium. Dexmedetomidine is the drug of choice in patients with severe agitation, and those weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation. As the complexity of ICCUs increases, clinical scenarios posing challenges for the management of delirium become more frequent. Efforts should be done to improve the identification of patients at risk during admission in order to establish preventive interventions to avoid this complication. Patient-centered protocols will increase the awareness of the healthcare professionals for better prevention and earlier diagnosis and will positively impact on prognosis.

Current management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) remains an infrequent and elusive clinical entity of unknown etiology. However, our knowledge of SCAD has been significantly enriched in recent years. Large and prospective contemporary series have increased the interest in this disease with fewer patients misdiagnosed and a growing number of cases recognized in daily clinical practice. Classically, SCAD was thought to present mainly in young women without traditional atherosclerotic risk factors but, actually, most patients are middle-aged and are not free from coronary risk factors. A high number of associated conditions have been reported. Of these, fibromuscular dysplasia emerges as a major association with intriguing pathophysiological implications. Areas covered: This review aims to present a contemporary update on SCAD. We concentrate on the clinical scenario, related conditions, practical management and treatment strategies. Expert commentary: Recognition of SCAD is currently much more frequent and accurate as a result of increased clinical awareness and the widespread use of intravascular imaging techniques. Hopefully, in the near future an improvement in the management of SCAD patients will come not only from empirical evidence but also from dedicated clinical trials.