A Review of Thromboelastography for Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Thromboelastography is a viscoelastic test with multiple potential advantages over conventional coagulation tests in various disease states. Thromboelastography rapidly provides qualitative and quantitative information related to a patient's coagulation status. OBJECTIVE: To describe recent studies of the use of thromboelastography in various clinical states and how thromboelastography is used in coagulation management. METHODS: A literature review using the MEDLINE and PubMed databases was conducted. The updated methodology for integrated reviews by Whittemore and Knafl was followed. Coauthors evaluated separate areas that were independently reviewed by other coauthors to ensure appropriateness for inclusion. RESULTS: The use of thromboelastography for various clinical conditions with challenging hemostatic profiles has increased. This integrative review covers the use of thromboelastography in patients with trauma, medication-induced coagulopathy, acute and chronic liver failure, and cardiothoracic surgery. Potential future directions are also discussed. DISCUSSION: Thromboelastography has numerous potential benefits over conventional coagulation tests for assessing coagulation status in patients in various clinical states. Nurses can support clinical decisions to use the most appropriate test for their patients. CONCLUSIONS: Each team member should be involved in assessing the usefulness of thromboelastography. Critical care nurses and the multidisciplinary team must identify patients in whom its use is warranted, interpret the results, and provide appropriate interventions in response to the results and clinical status of the patient.

Patients' Perceptions of Physical Therapists Addressing Opioid Misuse.

INTRODUCTION: In the US, rising numbers of patients who misuse illicit or prescribed opioids provides opportunities for physical therapists (PTs) to be engaged in their care. Prior to this engagement, it is necessary to understand the perceptions of patients who access physical therapy services about their PTs playing such a role. This project examined patients' perceptions of PTs addressing opioid misuse. METHODS: We surveyed patients, newly encountering outpatient physical therapy services in a large University-based healthcare setting, via anonymous, web-based survey. Within the survey, questions were rated on a Likert scale (1 = completely disagree to 7 = completely agree) and we evaluated responses of patients who were prescribed opioids versus those who were not. RESULTS: Among 839 respondents, the highest mean score was 6.2 (SD = 1.5) for "It is OK for physical therapists to refer their patients with prescription opioid misuse to a specialist to address the opioid misuse." The lowest mean score was 5.6 (SD = 1.9) for "It is OK for physical therapists to ask their patient why they are misusing prescription opioids." Compared to those with no prescription opioid exposure while attending physical therapy, patients with prescription opioid exposure had lower agreement that it was OK for the physical therapist to refer their patients with opioid misuse to a specialist (ß = -.33, 95% CI = -0.63 to -0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Patients attending outpatient physical therapy seem to support PTs addressing opioid misuse and there are differences in support based on whether the patients had exposure to opioids.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A primer for pharmacists.

PURPOSE: To describe the use of mechanical circulatory support in the setting of cardiac arrest and summarize pharmacists' role in extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). SUMMARY: ECPR is increasingly used to reduce morbidity and improve mortality after cardiac arrest. ECPR employs venoarterial ECMO, which provides full circulatory perfusion and gas exchange in both adult and pediatric patients in cardiac arrest. After the emergency medicine team identifies potential candidates for ECPR, the ECMO team is consulted. If deemed a candidate for ECPR by the ECMO team, the patient is cannulated during ongoing standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, perfusionists, pharmacists, and support staff is needed for successful ECPR. Pharmacists play a vital role in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) prior to cannulation. Pharmacists intervene to make pharmacotherapy recommendations during ACLS, prepare medications, and administer medications as allowed by institutional and state regulations. Pharmacists also provide pharmacotherapy support in the selection of anticoagulation agents, ongoing vasopressor administration during ECMO cannulation, and the optimization of medication selection in the peri-ECPR period. CONCLUSION: With the growing use of ECPR, pharmacists should be aware of their role in medication optimization during ECPR.

Procainamide pharmacokinetics during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Procainamide is a useful agent for management of ventricular arrhythmia, however its disposition and appropriate dosing during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is unknown. We report experience with continuous procainamide infusion in a critically ill adult requiring venoarterial ECMO for incessant ventricular tachycardia. Pharmacokinetic analysis of procainamide and its metabolite, N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA), was performed using serum and urine specimens. Kidney function was preserved, and sequencing of the N-acetyltransferase 2 gene revealed the patient was a phenotypic slow acetylator. Procainamide volume of distribution and half-life were calculated and found to be similar to healthy individuals. However, despite elevated serum procainamide concentrations, NAPA concentrations remained far lower in the serum and urine. The magnitude of procainamide and NAPA discordance suggested alternative contributors to the deranged pharmacokinetic profile, and we hypothesized NAPA sequestration by the ECMO circuit. Ultimately, the patient received orthotopic cardiac transplantation and was discharged home in stable condition. Procainamide should be used cautiously during ECMO, with close therapeutic drug monitoring of serum procainamide and NAPA concentrations. The achievement of therapeutic NAPA concentrations while maintaining safe serum procainamide concentrations during ECMO support may be challenging.

Predicting the Response of Hydroxocobalamin in Postoperative Vasoplegia in Recipients of Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to identify predictors of response to hydroxocobalamin. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A single large academic medical center within the cardiovascular surgery intensive care unit. PARTICIPANTS: Postoperative cardiovascular surgery patients within 96 hours of cardiopulmonary bypass separation between May 7, 2018, and August 1, 2020. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 66 administrations, 43 administrations yielded hemodynamic improvements (65.2%). Comparing responders to nonresponders, nonresponders had a greater median cardiopulmonary bypass duration (223 v 131 minutes; p < 0.001) and a prolonged median cross-clamp time (153 v 77 minutes; p = 0.014). Multivariate modeling demonstrated a reduction in the odds of being a responder by 57% for every 60 minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass duration (odds ratio, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.68; p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference based on time from intensive care unit admission to hydroxocobalamin administration (odds ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-1.03; p = 0.20). CONCLUSION: Shorter total bypass duration and more rapid utilization after bypass of hydroxocobalamin were associated with a higher likelihood of response to refractory vasoplegic shock.

Hemodynamic Effects of an Increased Midodrine Dosing Frequency.

In practice, midodrine has been used to reduce IV vasopressor requirements and decrease ICU length of stay. However, recent publications have failed to show clinical success when midodrine was administered every 8 hours. One possible reason for the lack of clinical efficacy at this dosing interval may be the pharmacokinetic properties of midodrine that support a more frequent dosing interval. Here, we report our institutional experience with midodrine at a dosing frequency of every 6 hours. DESIGN: Single, quaternary academic medical center, retrospective, descriptive study. SETTING: Floor and ICU patients admitted to Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from May 7, 2018, to September 30, 2020. PATIENTS: Adult patients with an order for midodrine with a dosing frequency of "every 6 hours" or "four times daily" were eligible for inclusion. INTERVENTIONS: No intervention performed. All data were abstracted retrospectively from the electronic medical record. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Forty-four unique patients were identified that met inclusion criteria. Patients were an average of 65 years and 63.6% were male. The individual doses of midodrine ranged from 5 to 20 mg. Twenty-three patients (52.3%) were receiving IV vasopressors at the time midodrine was ordered every 6 hours. Vasopressor requirements decreased from an average of 0.10 norepinephrine equivalents 24 hours prior to the every 6-hour order to 0.05 norepinephrine equivalents 24 hours after an order for midodrine every 6 hour was placed. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the dosing frequency of midodrine to every 6 hours may optimize its pharmacokinetic profile without compromising safety. This midodrine dosing frequency should be prospectively evaluated as a primary strategy for accelerated IV vasopressor wean.

Safety and Tolerability of Fluoroquinolones in Patients with Staphylococcal Periprosthetic Joint Infections.

BACKGROUND: Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are known to be accompanied by significant risks. However, the incidence of adverse events (ADEs) resulting in unplanned drug discontinuation when used for periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) is currently unknown. METHODS: This study included 156 patients over the age of 18 treated for staphylococcal PJI with debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention between 1 January 2007 and 21 November 2019. Of the 156 patients, 64 had total hip arthroplasty (THA) and 92 had total knee arthroplasty (TKA) infections. The primary outcome was rate of unplanned drug discontinuation. Secondary outcomes included incidence of severe ADEs, unplanned rifamycin discontinuation, mean time to unplanned regimen discontinuation, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Overall, unplanned drug discontinuation occurred in 35.6% of patients in the FQ group and 3% of patients in the non-FQ group. The rate of unplanned discontinuation of FQ regimens as compared with non-FQ regimens was 27.5% vs 4.2% (P = .021) in THA infections and 42% vs 2.4% (P < .001) in TKA infections. There was no significant difference in severe ADEs between FQ and non-FQ regimens in both THA and TKA infections. The overall rate of nonsevere ADEs in FQ compared with non-FQ regimens was 43.3% vs 6.1% (P < .001). FQs were associated with tendinopathy, myalgia, arthralgia, and nausea. CONCLUSIONS: A significantly higher rate of unplanned drug discontinuation was associated with FQ as compared with non-FQ regimens. This provides a real-world view of the implications of FQ-related ADEs on unplanned discontinuation when used in prolonged durations for the management of staphylococcal PJIs.