TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Controversies: Enteral Nutrition—Pyloric Versus Postpyloric A1 - Sarao, Amar Anantdeep Singh A1 - Kohli-Seth, Roopa A2 - Oropello, John M. A2 - Pastores, Stephen M. A2 - Kvetan, Vladimir Y1 - 1 N1 - T2 - Critical Care AB - Critically ill patients are often in hypermetabolic states with increased nutritional needs. At the same time, however, such patients are often unable to take adequate oral intake, necessitating the use of supplementary nutrition. Maintaining adequate nutrition in the critically ill patient has shown to decrease infectious complications.1 Early enteral nutrition in the critically ill mechanically ventilated patient has shown to decrease ICU and hospital mortality rates with the greatest benefit derived in the sickest of patients.2 Malnutrition on the other hand is known to adversely impact the length of ICU and hospital stay.3 It is because of the benefits seen with providing optimal nutrition in the ICU that nutritional support therapy has now become an indispensable component in the management of the critically ill patient. Although nutrition can be provided via the enteral or parenteral route, the enteral route is preferred over the latter due to its lower cost, ease of institution and decreased infectious complications.4 Not using the gastrointestinal tract predisposes to gut mucosal atrophy, resulting in translocation of the bacteria across the gut wall leading to bacteremia. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1136418302 ER -