Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know
Introduction. Gastrointestinal dysmotility frequently occurs in critically ill patients, who often experience symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea. Within the high-tech environment of modern intensive care units (ICUs), bowel care is often overlooked and sometimes regarded as a secondary conc...
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Firenze University Press
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Infermieristica Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/if/article/view/3285 |
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| author | Giulia Caroti Rebecca Zagni |
| author_facet | Giulia Caroti Rebecca Zagni |
| author_sort | Giulia Caroti |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction. Gastrointestinal dysmotility frequently occurs in critically ill patients, who often experience symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea. Within the high-tech environment of modern intensive care units (ICUs), bowel care is often overlooked and sometimes regarded as a secondary concern. Limited guidelines and low-quality evidence hinder the management of constipation and diarrhea. The aim of this study is to review and analyze the literature on bowel management in ICUs.
Method. This is a cultural paper. All articles were sourced from indexed databases and nursing journals.
Results. Constipation is defined by NANDA-I as “a decrease in the normal frequency of defecation.” In the ICU, the incidence of constipation ranges from 45% to 83%. The most commonly used laxatives are osmotic, bulk-forming, and stimulant laxatives. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines diarrhea as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day. Diarrhea is common in ICUs, and its complications can prolong the length of stay in the intensive care unit. The incidence of diarrhea ranges from 29.5% to 95%. In the ICU, acute fecal incontinence and diarrhea can be managed with a bowel management system (BMS). The implementation of bowel management protocols can improve bowel care in the ICU.
Discussion and Conclusion. Studies agree that the incidence of constipation and diarrhea is high in the ICU. The use of BMS is controversial. The use of a bowel protocol allowed standardization and improving bowel care in ICU. Further studies are necessary to find robust evidence for orientating healthcare staff in bowel management in ICU.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9ec0a36afa0f4609b1b60b846682655a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2785-7018 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Firenze University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infermieristica Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-9ec0a36afa0f4609b1b60b846682655a2025-08-20T02:38:52ZengFirenze University PressInfermieristica Journal2785-70182025-03-014110.36253/if-3285Bowel Management in the ICU: What We KnowGiulia Caroti0Rebecca Zagni1Emergency and Traumatic Intensive and Sub-intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Careggi, Florence, ItalyDepartment of Technical Health Care Professions Dietetics Unit, Santo Stefano Hospital, Prato, Italy Introduction. Gastrointestinal dysmotility frequently occurs in critically ill patients, who often experience symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea. Within the high-tech environment of modern intensive care units (ICUs), bowel care is often overlooked and sometimes regarded as a secondary concern. Limited guidelines and low-quality evidence hinder the management of constipation and diarrhea. The aim of this study is to review and analyze the literature on bowel management in ICUs. Method. This is a cultural paper. All articles were sourced from indexed databases and nursing journals. Results. Constipation is defined by NANDA-I as “a decrease in the normal frequency of defecation.” In the ICU, the incidence of constipation ranges from 45% to 83%. The most commonly used laxatives are osmotic, bulk-forming, and stimulant laxatives. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines diarrhea as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day. Diarrhea is common in ICUs, and its complications can prolong the length of stay in the intensive care unit. The incidence of diarrhea ranges from 29.5% to 95%. In the ICU, acute fecal incontinence and diarrhea can be managed with a bowel management system (BMS). The implementation of bowel management protocols can improve bowel care in the ICU. Discussion and Conclusion. Studies agree that the incidence of constipation and diarrhea is high in the ICU. The use of BMS is controversial. The use of a bowel protocol allowed standardization and improving bowel care in ICU. Further studies are necessary to find robust evidence for orientating healthcare staff in bowel management in ICU. https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/if/article/view/3285ConstipationDiarrheaBowel ProtocolIntensive Care Unit |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Caroti Rebecca Zagni Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know Infermieristica Journal Constipation Diarrhea Bowel Protocol Intensive Care Unit |
| title | Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know |
| title_full | Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know |
| title_fullStr | Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know |
| title_short | Bowel Management in the ICU: What We Know |
| title_sort | bowel management in the icu what we know |
| topic | Constipation Diarrhea Bowel Protocol Intensive Care Unit |
| url | https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/if/article/view/3285 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT giuliacaroti bowelmanagementintheicuwhatweknow AT rebeccazagni bowelmanagementintheicuwhatweknow |