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Food Scientists and nutritionists encourage people to consume foods that are rich in various nutrients, vitamins, and mineral salts. The issue of nutrition must also be taken seriously by patients and their care providers. A persons caloric needs must be delivered using these two unique methods: parenteral and enteral nutrition. This paper discusses why enteral nutrition is appropriate over parenteral nutrition in critically ill patients who have a functional gastrointestinal (GI) tract and are hemodynamically stable.
Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition
Hyeda and da Costa (2017) define enteral nutrition as any feeding method that delivers an individuals caloric requirements via the GI tract. Examples of this method include normal eating and tube feeding. On the other hand, parenteral nutrition is the delivery of required nutrients or calories into a vein due to a number of reasons. For instance, the method would be appropriate for patients affected by Crohns disease, bowel obstruction, and ulcerative colitis (Elke et al., 2016). This kind of administration is usually performed using indwelling catheters or injections.
Enteral Nutrition in Critically Ill Patients
Enteral nutrition is usually recommended in critically ill persons whose gastrointestinal tracts are functional and are hemodynamically stable. Weimann et al. (2017) suggest that enteral nutrition is a natural technique of feeding that improves healing and growth. Nutritionists and health scientists acknowledge that some patients might have difficulties whenever eating certain foods. However, such individuals should be guided and encouraged to embrace enteral nutrition because it has significant benefits over parenteral nutrition. The use of the GI tract for feeding purposes is known to improve the effectiveness of the immune system.
The method is appropriate for patients who are hemodynamically stable. Since such individuals do not have problems with their blood circulation systems, the use of enteral nutrition will ensure that the body benefits from different minerals, calories, and nutrients absorbed throughout the GI system. This feeding method also results in improved intake of nutrients. Past studies have revealed that patients who can be fed using the technique will record positive health outcomes within a short period (Elke et al., 2016). The natural method is also inexpensive and maximizes the quantities of calories and nutrients absorbed by the body (Elke et al., 2016). Enteral nutrition is also recommended since it ensures that patients consume various food materials in different forms such as liquids and solids. The method also boosts other body functions, thereby speeding the healing process.
In some patients, enteral tube feeding (ETF) can be considered in an attempt to meet their health needs. The decision to use parenteral nutrition in patients whose GI tracts are working properly can result in reduced calorie intakes (Weimann et al., 2017). That being the case, parenteral feeding should be selected for patients who are unable to eat. Beneficiaries include patients whose GI tracts are not functioning properly. This method is also expensive and complicated (Hyeda & da Costa, 2017). These issues explain why the technique should be available to patients who are hemodynamically unstable and have problems with their digestive systems.
Conclusion
This discussion shows that practitioners and physicians should ensure that patients with functional GI tracts should be fed using the enteral technique. Such patients should also be hemodynamically stable. The targeted patients will benefit from increased calorie intakes, improved immunity, and normalization of body functions. Parenteral nutrition should, therefore, be considered when a patient has problems with his or her GI tract.
References
Elke, G., van Zanten, A. R., Lemieux, M., McCall, M., Jeejeebhoy, K. N., Kott, M., & Heyland, D. K. (2016). Enteral versus parenteral nutrition in critically ill patients: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Critical Care, 20(117), 1-14. Web.
Hyeda, A., & da Costa, E. S. (2017). Economic analysis of costs with enteral and parenteral nutritional therapy according to disease and outcome. Einstein, 15(2), 192-199. Web.
Weimann, A., Braga, M., Carli, F., Higashiguchi, T., Hubner, M., Klek, S., & Singer, P. (2017). ESPEN guideline: Clinical nutrition in surgery. Clinical Nutrition, 36, 623-650. Web.
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