Biomedical subjects

Vidya Krishnan

Publications and source records attributed to Vidya Krishnan.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Mortality in patients hospitalized for asthma exacerbations in the United States.

RATIONALE: Hospitalizations for asthma exacerbations are common in the United States, but there are no national estimates of outcomes in this population. It is also not known if race disparities in asthma deaths exist among hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVES: To estimate outcomes of patients hospitalized for asthma in the United States and to determine if the risk of death in this population is higher among black patients compared with white patients. METHODS: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2000. Admissions for asthma exacerbations among patients > 5 yr of age were included. Mortality was the primary outcome; secondary outcomes were length of stay and total hospital charges. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In-hospital asthma mortality was 0.5% (99% confidence interval [CI], 0.4-0.6), with mean hospital stay of 2.7 d (99% CI, 2.6-2.8 d) and 9,078 dollars (99% CI, 8,300-9,855 dollars) in hospital charges. Deaths in this population accounted for about one-third of all asthma deaths reported in the United States. Black patients hospitalized for asthma exacerbations were less likely to die when compared with white patients (0.3 vs. 0.6%; p < 0.001). However, in multivariable analyses, there were no significant race differences in hospital deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality among patients hospitalized for asthma exacerbations accounts for one-third of all deaths from asthma. The higher overall risk of death from asthma in black patients compared with white patients in the United States is not explained by race differences in hospital deaths and therefore is attributable to factors preceding hospitalization.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Respiratory physiologic changes in pregnancy.

In summary, the major physiologic changes that occur in pregnancy are the increased minute ventilation, which is caused by increased respiratory center sensitivity and drive; a compensated respiratory alkalosis; and a low expiratory reserve volume. The vital capacity and measures of forced expiration are well preserved. Patients who have many lung diseases tolerate pregnancy well, with the exception of those who have pulmonary hypertension or chronic respiratory insufficiency from parenchymal or neuromuscular disease.

Female↗

PubMed2006

Gender differences in sleep disorders.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To evaluate recent evidence regarding gender differences in sleep. RECENT FINDINGS: Women have better sleep quality compared with men, with longer sleep times, shorter sleep-onset latency and higher sleep efficiency. Despite this, women have more sleep-related complaints than men. The amount of slow-wave sleep decreases with age in men and women. Normal physiologic periods, including puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, are associated with alterations in sleep patterns. Gender differences in normal sleep may underlie the observed differences in risk of sleep disorders. Studies of insomnia support a female predominance, with increased divergence of prevalence between men and women with older age. Recent findings for the gender differences in obstructive sleep apnea have focused on differences in local neuromuscular reflexes and central ventilatory control. Restless legs syndrome has a slight female predominance, whereas rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and Kleine-Levin syndrome are more common in men. SUMMARY: Gender differences in sleep become apparent after the onset of puberty. Menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause can alter sleep architecture. Gender-related differences in sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome, include differences in prevalence, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and response to therapy.

Female↗

PubMed2003

Pharmacologic issues in the critically ill.

The pharmacotherapy of critically ill patients poses numerous challenges to the ICU team. Polypharmacy and alterations in drug disposition are common in the ICU; critically ill patients have limited physiologic reserve to deal with adverse drug events. Careful prescribing, based upon sound pharmacologic principles, decreases the potential for preventable adverse events and maximizes the opportunity for successful therapy. A systematic approach to reporting, analysis, and prevention of errors is a further step in our ultimate goal to provide optimal care for the vulnerable patients whom we support in our ICUs.

Biological Availability↗