ICU delirium - Consequences for management of analgesia and sedation in the critically ill

Monitoring and protocolized management for analgesia, sedation and delirium are key indicators for an evidence-based treatment of critically ill patients. Through the dissemination of these guidelines in 2006, use of monitoring was shown to have improved from 8 to 51% and the use of protocol-based approaches increased to 46% (from 21%). From 20062009, the existing guidelines from the DGAI (Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Ansthesiologie und Intensivmedizin) and DIVI (Deutsche Interdisziplinre Vereinigung fr Intensiv- und Notfallmedizin) were developed into 3rd Generation Guidelines for the securing and optimization of quality of analgesia, sedation and delirium management in the intensive care unit (ICU). In collaboration with another 10 professional societies, the literature has been reviewed using the criteria of the Oxford Center of Evidence Based Medicine. Using data from 671 reference works, text, diagrams and recommendations were drawn up. The new 3rd Generation Guideline now includes evidence and consensus-based recommendations for the management of delirium in the intensive care unit. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.