Integrative therapies in the management of critically ill patients

The intensive care unit (ICU) is a highly technical environment where providers gravitate toward cutting-edge equipment to cure patients. It is becoming increasingly evident, however, that integrative therapies may be important adjunctive therapies to maximize care and healing of the critically ill patient. With approximately 55,000 patients in the ICU on any given day in the United States, use of integrative therapies is an area that has potential to have Significant impact on both outcomes and satisfaction of ICU patients. This chapter will provide a general overview of the four main categories of integrative therapies and a more in-depth review of four selected integrative therapies that are currently in use or being explored in critical care. These therapies include music therapy, early mobility in mechanically ventilated patients, animal-assisted therapy, and the use of probiotics in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia.