Study shows ICU patients often suffer long-term brain impairment similar to concussions, Alzheimer’s disease

Many patients who have stayed in the intensive care unit (ICU) end up leaving with brain dysfunction, a new study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center has found. Dr. Pratik Pandharipande, a professor of anesthesiology and critical care at Vanderbilt Medical Center explains, “As survival has increased from critical illness based on modern medical therapies, we see a lot of patients coming back with memory problems, problems doing day-to-day activities. Patients are telling us just getting us through the ICU and being a survivor is not good enough. They say, ’We want to be back to where we were before we were in the ICU.’” Researchers found that many ICU patients suffer from cognitive impairment similar to that of Alzheimer’s patients and concussion victims. Some patients were still showing symptoms up to a year later. To figure out why, the research team decided to focus on one symptom, delirium. Dr. Pandharipande explains, “A number of studies have shown in recent years that delirium is not an innocent bystander of ICU care but is a real issue associated with worse outcomes, longer time in ICU, on ventilation, even a predictor of mortality. And now, if you survive, it’s a predictor of cognitive impairment.” He added that studies have shown that reducing sedatives, keeping patients alert, and mobilizing are all good ways to shorten delirium.

Fox News, 10/2/13