Quality Initiative to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use in a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit

Delirium has been shown to increase the length of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay, and rates of post-discharge institutionalization and in-hospital mortality. The incidence of delirium in nonventilated patients in the ICU has been shown to be approximately 50%, and the incidence in ventilated patients is even higher at approximately 80%. Several risk factors have been associated with the development of delirium, including patient age, baseline cognitive impairment, severity of illness, history of alcoholism, elevated creatinine, hypertension, and benzodiazepine use. Here, Wittwer et al discuss some ways to reduce benzodiazepine use by 25% in an adult cardiothoracic ICU.