NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF PATIENTS IN CARDIAC SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND REASONS FOR UNDERFEEDING

Abstract

Objective: To measure the nutritional intake of patients in cardiac surgical intensive care unit and identify the
nutritional factors contributing to underfeeding.
Study Design: Descriptive Cross Sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: Research was carried out in Adult Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Unit of
Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology & National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi from August 2015 to
January 2016.
Material and Methods: All the patients who had undergone cardiac surgery were included. Data was
collected on 5 post op day. Patients less than 18 years of age were excluded. Energy requirements were
determined using PSU 2003b (Penn State equation). Food intake was recorded and calories were calculated
through exchange list. Reasons of underfeeding were observed including dietary non compliance, diarrhea,
nausea/ vomiting, constipation, swallowing difficulty, abdominal cramps, chewing difficulty, abdominal
distention, aspiration, absence of bowl sounds, delay in enteral/parenteral feeding, inappropriate caloric and
protein density of parenteral feeds.
Results: Average caloric requirement of the patients was 1796 kcal whereas average caloric intake of the
patients was 1237 kcal. Mean protein requirements of the targeted patients were 92 gm and average protein
intake was 49.5 grams. Dietary non compliance was present in 35 (57%) patients, 15 (25%) were having
nausea/ vomiting.
Conclusion: Most of the patients in our research were consuming less than 80% of the required calories and
proteins. Main reason of underfeeding was dietary noncompliance followed by nausea / vomiting and
inappropriate caloric density of parenteral formulas.