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Purpose: To determine the safety and efficacy of enteral naloxone for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in the medical intensive care unit (MICU)., Materials and Methods: This descriptive study included patients aged 18 to 89 years admitted to the MICU between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2012, who received scheduled opioids and at least 1 dose of enteral naloxone. All data were obtained from electronic charting systems. Efficacy was assessed by evaluating time to bowel movement (BM), number of naloxone doses until BM, and ability to tolerate tube feeds after receipt of enteral naloxone. Safety was assessed by comparing opioid requirements, heart rates, and systolic blood pressures before and during naloxone treatment., Results: Fifteen of the 16 patients included in the final analysis passed BMs during the study period. The median time to BM was 24.4 hours. The median number of naloxone doses received prior to passing a BM was 3. Seventy-eight percent of patients who were not receiving tube feeds at the time of naloxone administration received continuous tube feeds after naloxone initiation. No adverse effects associated with use of enteral naloxone were noted., Conclusions: Enteral naloxone appears safe for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in the MICU. Enteral naloxone may be effective in treating opioid-induced constipation; however, further studies are warranted., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe rFVIIa dosing and clinical outcomes in cardiovascular surgery patients with refractory bleeding., Design: Retrospective chart review of patients receiving rFVIIa from January 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005, in the cardiovascular surgery setting., Setting: Tertiary care, private teaching hospital., Participants: Ninety-three patients who received rFVIIa after cardiovascular surgery for the management of refractory bleeding., Interventions: None., Measures and Main Results: Patients received an average of 7.6 +/- 6.8 units of red blood cells (RBCs) before rFVIIa dosing (mean dose, 56.2 +/- 26.5 microg/kg). Median and 25th and 75th quartile blood product consumption was significantly reduced 6 hours after rFVIIa versus 6 hours before (RBCs, -3 units, [-1, -7]; cryoprecipitate, -7.5 units [0, -20]; platelet, -3 units [-1, -4]; fresh frozen plasma, -4 units [-2, -7]). Repeated rFVIIa dosing occurred in 10% of patients, with 8 (8.6%) and 2 (2.25%) patients receiving second and third doses, respectively. Subgroup analysis of each rFVIIa dosing quartile >30 microg/kg showed a significant reduction in RBCs; however, no significant differences were found in the magnitude of RBC reduction or percent of patients requiring massive transfusion among the quartiles. No adverse thrombotic episodes were noted, and the observed mortality (22.6%) was not attributed to rFVIIa therapy., Conclusions: rFVIIa effectively reduces blood product use in cardiovascular surgery patients having massive blood loss. Although the optimal dose of rFVIIa for use in cardiovascular surgery remains undetermined, these data provide evidence that dosing regimens using <90 microg/kg are effective in this population and may provide guidance for centers establishing standardized protocols for rFVIIa use in cardiovascular surgery patients.