Caring for two in the ICU: Pharmacotherapy in the critically ill pregnant patient. 2023

Mojdeh S Heavner, and Grace Erdman, and Brooke Barlow, and Mohammed Aldhaeefi, and Michaelia Cucci, and Claire C Eng, and W Anthony Hawkins, and Christina Rose, and Susan E Smith, and Carolyn Magee Bell, and Allison Lankford, and Matthew Li, and Melissa L Thompson Bastin
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Safe and thoughtful medication management of pregnant patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) level of care is key to optimizing outcomes for both mother and fetus. Pregnancy induces physiologic alterations that closely mirror the changes expected in a critically ill patient. These changes can be predictable depending on the gestational age and trimester and will directly impact the pharmacokinetic profile of medications commonly used in the ICU; examples include decreased gastric emptying, increased blood and plasma volume, increased glomerular filtration, and increased cardiac output. When pregnant patients require ICU care, the resulting impact on drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination can be difficult to predict. In addition, there are many nuances of medication metabolism and interface with the placental barrier that should be considered when selecting pharmacotherapy for the pregnant patient. Critical care clinicians need to be aware of medication interactions with the placenta and weigh the risk versus benefit profile of medication use in this patient population. Obstetric critical care admissions have increased over the years, especially during the coronavirus waves. Therefore, understanding the interplay between pregnancy and critical illness to optimize pharmacotherapy selection is crucial to improving health outcomes of mother and fetus. This review highlights pharmacotherapy considerations in the pregnant ICU patient for the following topics: physiologic alterations, categorizing medication risk, supportive care, sepsis, cardiogenic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and venous thromboembolism.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007362 Intensive Care Units Hospital units providing continuous surveillance and care to acutely ill patients. ICU Intensive Care Units,Intensive Care Unit,Unit, Intensive Care
D010920 Placenta A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES). Placentoma, Normal,Placentome,Placentas,Placentomes
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248 Pregnancy Complications Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases. Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D003422 Critical Care Health care provided to a critically ill patient during a medical emergency or crisis. Intensive Care,Intensive Care, Surgical,Surgical Intensive Care,Care, Critical,Care, Intensive,Care, Surgical Intensive
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016638 Critical Illness A disease or state in which death is possible or imminent. Critically Ill,Critical Illnesses,Illness, Critical,Illnesses, Critical

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