[Circadian Medicine - How Relevant is It in Intensive Care Medicine?]

Abstract

Circadian intensive care medicine is a new field of research that investigates the pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical impact of disrupted circadian rhythms on the course of disease in critically ill patients. Initial studies have demonstrated rhythm disturbances at the clinical, hormonal and molecular level. These disturbances are often characterized by a loss of rhythmicity, for example reflected in reduced fluctuations of blood pressure within a 24-hour cycle. The loss of such rhythmicity has been associated with increased mortality rates. Moreover, circadian dysrhythmia is linked to several severe complications, including delirium. This article presents concepts and interventions in circadian intensive care medicine that may represent a new therapeutic horizon for critically ill patients in the future.