Obese patient in intensive care unit

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of obesity in the general population, in addition to the high burden of comorbidities, has resulted in an increased number of obese patients requiring admission to the intensive care unit. Obesity is associated with important pathophysiological derangements of the respiratory, cardiac, and metabolic functions. A further multiorgan impairment is expected when these subjects are exposed to stresses of acute illness. The risk of ventilatorinduced lung injury, the effect of chest wall in respiratorymechanics and hence in the selection of ventilatory settings, difficulties in hemodynamic monitoring, adequate thromboembolism prophylaxis, and dosing adjustments for specific drugs are the most challenging issues in the effective management of such patients.