More than 5 million patients are admitted to US intensive care units (ICUs) each year. Many of these patients have risk factors for dysphagia. Dysphagia must be promptly addressed and appropriately treated to avoid the deleterious impacts of aspiration and malnutrition. Therefore, clinicians must be aware of ways to identify and treat dysphagia. This review will highlight the risk factors, mechanisms, and impact of dysphagia in the ICU as well as provide screening, diagnostic, and management options.
Keywords: aspiration; dysphagia; intensive care unit; malnutrition; mechanical ventilation.
© 2020 The Authors. Nutrition in Clinical Practice published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.