Constipation in intensive care

Abstract

Studies have shown that the incidence of constipation in critically ill patients varies from 15 % to 83 %, mainly due to the fact that there is a lack of definition standardization.Registration and monitoring is observed to be neglected by intensive care teams to the detriment of other gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and presence of gastric residue. The etiology is complex, and different factors are involved, with a relevance to the use of opioids, low splenic perfusion due to shock, and dietary changes. Constipation can be inserted into a broader context, a severe intestinal dysfunction, which correlates with the organ dysfunctions compromising the clinical outcome of critically ill patients. Constipation in these patients is associated with high rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality, besides longer hospital admission and mechanical ventilation. It is essential to standardize protocols in the intensive care unit for the management of gastrointestinal disorders, aiming at improving these patients prognosis.