Artificial nutrition support in hospital: indications and complications

Malnutrition is a common clinical problem in hospitalised patients and is both a cause and consequence of disease Artificial nutrition support with enteral or parenteral nutrition is indicated in patients who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition where food fortification and/or oral nutritional supplements are inadequate Enteral tube feeding should be used in preference to parenteral nutrition where the gastrointestinal tract is functioning adequately; if there is doubt, enteral and parenteral feeding can temporarily be used in combination Enteral feeding tubes and venous catheters should be inserted by trained Healthcare professionals and cared for meticulously to reduce the risk of complications Artificial nutrition support should be introduced cautiously in patients who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition in order to reduce the risks of refeeding syndrome.