1. Uses and abuses of sodium bicarbonate in the neonatal intensive care unit.
- Author
-
Ammari AN and Schulze KF
- Subjects
- Acute Disease, Clinical Competence, Evidence-Based Medicine, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Sodium Bicarbonate administration & dosage, Sodium Bicarbonate adverse effects, Acidosis, Lactic drug therapy, Acidosis, Respiratory drug therapy, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation methods, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn drug therapy, Sodium Bicarbonate therapeutic use
- Abstract
Despite the lack of evidence for its effectiveness in the treatment of acid-base disturbances in critically ill patients of all ages, and despite several lines of evidence that indicate it might be dangerous, bicarbonate therapy is used routinely in many neonatal intensive care units. The justification for the persistent use of this controversial therapy comes from a variety of sources, many based more in philosophy than in science. Clinicians contemplating the use of bicarbonate therapy should consider what they expect the intervention to accomplish and what evidence exists that their therapeutic objective will be met. Without rigorous scientific support for this therapy, it should be considered of unproven value and, therefore, experimental.
- Published
- 2002
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