Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (Research Paper Sample)

Analysis of the Efficacy of Antibiotics on ventilator associated pneumonia
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Efficacy of antibiotics on ventilator associated pneumonia
The Problem
Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a problem that interferes with the course of treatment for critically ill patients. These mainly consist of patients who are placed under mechanically supported ventilation system. The life-threatening condition usually correlates with decreased survival rate for the patient. Several measures like the emphasis on improved hand hygiene in hospital workers have improve control of VAP. However, further research and clinical trials will achieve maximum eradication of VAP-associated mortalities. It is important to note that most endogenous infections found on critically ill patients are associated to pathogens acquired during the duration of stay in the ICU (Melsen, Rovers, and Bonten, 2009).
Intervention/Trial Treatment
The proposed treatment trial entails testing the effectiveness of selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) as a means of controlling the effects of VAP. The SDD regimen aims at selectively eradicating PPM present in the oral cavity. The regimen will achieve decontamination of the stomach by use of non-absorbable antibiotics. Eradication of PPM will happen through the application of an antibiotic gel or paste to the oral cavity. The proposed SDD trial treatment will also encompass an improved hand hygiene recipe by health workers. The treatment module relies on the fact that most infections associated with critically ill patients are endogenous in origin (Morrow, Kollef, and Casale, 2010).
Comparison Treatment
This mode of treatment compares well with the use of probiotics as well as the use of selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD). Recent studies have shown that a well administered dosage of probiotics effectively reduces secondary colonization of lower and upper parts of the digestive system. SOD is a useful method in the improvement of oral hygiene and effective control of VAP (Bouza and Burillo, 2009). Comparison of the two treatment modules reveal that application of oral decontaminants on mechanically ventilated patients correlates with reduced incidences of VAP.
Expected Outcome
Effective prophylactic use of these antibiotics will effectively reduce incidences of VAP in critically ill patients. Indeed, the application of SDD regimen is expected to prevent the carriage of pathogens with an intrinsic pathogenicity index (IPI) of 1 by a great margin (Chan, Ruest, Meade, and Cook 2010). The outcome of the trial treatment is also expected to provide insight on the effectiveness of a short course of system antibiotics...