Comparison of Effects of Chlorhexidine Mouthwash versus Stop-Snoring Mouthwash in Prevention of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a prevalent infection occurs in intensive care unit (ICU) accompanied with increased complications and mortality. In this study, effects of chlorhexidine mouthwash versus herbal stop-snoring mouthwash on VAP among ICU admitted patients have been compared. Methods: 86 patients admitted at ICU were randomly divided to two equal groups including; group C treated with chlorhexidine mouthwash and group S treated with stop-snoring mouthwash. Patients of both groups were similarlytreated for three times a day (including amount, technique and times of mouth washing). Time of incidence and frequency of VAP were compared in two groups. Findings: 74.41% of group S and 62.79%of group C presented VAP (P-value = 0.353). 22.22% of patients presented VAP in first-5-days and 77.77% after 5 days and in group S while 6.25% of patients of group C presented VAP in first-5-days and 93.75% after 5 days(P-value = 0.126). Conclusion: Time of VAP incidence or frequency of VAP was not different using chlorhexidine mouthwash versus herbal stop-snoring mouthwash for prevention of VAP.