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Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex
Published on: July 4, 2018
Assessing pain as the fifth vital sign
1Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, USA.
Abstract:
Pain is the most common reason why patients seek medical attention; however, pain is often underassessed because of clinician, system, and patient barriers. Proper pain assessment can improve outcomes, prevent adverse effects and psychosocial complications, and decrease healthcare costs. Pain assessment should include a complete medical history, a thorough patient interview and examination, evaluation of comorbidities, consideration of differential diagnoses, and performance of diagnostic tests. Osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and low-back pain have specific characteristics that can help clinicians make the appropriate diagnosis.
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