CRITICAL CARE

Malnutrition in ICU patients is a well-known issue throughout the world. However, it tends to be an under-recognized and underrated problem. Critically ill patients suffer from metabolic deterioration and loss of lean body mass. Nutritional support in these patients prevents furthering of such issues. In addition, careful nutrition support to critically ill patients aid in decreased length of hospital stay in ICU, decreased morbidity rate, decreased mortality rate and improvement in patient recovery.

The aim of nutritional support is to prevent and treat both macro and micro nutrients deficiency. Nutritional support to critically ill can be given through one of the three routes :

• Oral
• Parenteral
• Enteral