Swallowing evaluation in patients admitted to Intensive Care: a national survey

Abstract

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is one of the complications that can occur in the Intensive Care Unit patient. Its consequences include malnutrition, dehydration, increased risk of aspiration, aspiration-induced pneumonia, prolonged stay in Intensive Care Unit and hospital, and increased morbidity and mortality. Detection of swallowing disorders in the critically ill patient is necessary for the decision-making process regarding feeding and administration of drugs by oral or alternative route. However, no information has been published regarding the clinical evaluation of swallowing in Intensive Care Unit in Argentina. For this reason, we carried out a national survey, with the aim of finding out whether it is usual to perform a formal clinical evaluation of swallowing in critically ill patients after extubation and in those with a tracheostomy tube, if it is performed following any protocol, and to identify which health professional performs it and once dysphagia is detected, how it is treated. The analysis of the results shows that the presence of dysphagia in those patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit is considered relevant, although there is still no protocol for the detection of swallowing disorders in Argentina, nor a routine therapeutic approach.