Interní Med. 2007; 9(11): 480-485

Current data of the tube enteral nutrition

doc. MUDr. Miroslav Tomíška CSc

Interní hematoonkologická klinika LF MU a FN Brno

Maintenance of nutrition status has become an integral part of patient care. Whenever possible enteral feeding is preferable to parenteral nutrition because of the potential to preserve intestinal integrity and function and support immune system. A lot of evidence from clinical studies has enabled to create European Guidelines on Enteral Nutrition in various groups of patients. Optimal way of their introduction into clinical practice is to formulate local hospital protocols for providing enteral nutrition. Promotion of early sufficient provision of enteral feeding to each indicated patient becomes a key factor. Delayed feeding in fully developed undernutrition is significantly less effective or even fails. Adequate nutrition support may improve nutrition status and quality of life, decrease morbidity, shorten hospital stay and convalescence and in some cases may even lower mortality.

Keywords: enteral nutrition, tube feeding, malnutrition

Published: January 1, 2008  Show citation