Nutrition and its importance to intensive care patients

The purpose in this paper is to consider the importance of early nutrition for critically ill patients, briefly reviewing the effects of malnutrition, and the metabolic response to starvation and sepsis. Discussion includes assessment of nutritional status and nutritional requirements, with a suggested enteral feeding regime; and also the combined effect of enteral nutrition and glutamine on gut integrity and its relevance to nosocomial pneumonia, and the ability of the gut to accept food during critical illness.