Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia that occurs 48–72 hours or thereafter following endotracheal intubation, is characterized by the presence of a new or progressive infiltrate and is considered one of the most important nosocomial infections encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU). Signs of systemic infection include fever, altered white blood cell count, changes in sputum characteristics, and detection of a causative agent. [13] Mortality rates range from 24-50%, depending on individual predisposing health factors and the pathogen involved.[13] VAP increases ICU length of stay to 6.1 days & hospital length of stay to 10.5 days.[13] Each VAP adds an estimated $40,000 to patient care costs.[13]
The presence of
The presence of