Release recommendations on oral fluid electrolytes and energy management for hospitalised patients with non-diarrhoeal illnesses
Kenvue, a consumer health company by revenue, released a whitepaper addressing challenges in oral fluid, electrolyte and energy management during transition care and discharge in hospitalised patients. The paper titled ‘Role of Oral Fluid Electrolytes and Energy in Non-Diarrheal Illnesses in Hospitalized Patients’ was released at API’s 79th annual conference, APICON 2024 under the guidance of API President Dr Girish Mathur and General Secretary Dr Agam Vora.
The recommendations capture the latest consensus from a team of Indian medical experts and aim to improve the approach to oral fluid, electrolyte, and energy (FEE) management in hospitalised patients suffering from non-diarrheal illnesses.
Kenvue in association with the Association of Physicians of India (API) convened a scientific advisory board meeting with eight multidisciplinary experts across India including a gastrointestinal surgeon, an internal medicine physician, a critical care physician, a diabetologist, and a clinical dietician including Dr B Ravinder Reddy, Dr L Sreenivasa Murthy, Dr Jyotirmoy Pal, Dr Sanjith Saseedharan, Dr Prachee Sathe, Dr Anuj Maheshwari, Dr Eileen Canday and Babita Hazarika. The paper captures recommendations from Indian medical experts to identify, assess and appropriately address oral FEE deficits in hospitalised patients.
The recommendations provide guidelines to manage dehydration and prevent adverse effects of dehydration in hospitalised patients by including oral FEE as part of core treatment from day one. The level of hydration among patients admitted is a parameter to be considered at the initial stages of admission and their hydration should be monitored along with the patient’s energy needs during de-escalation from IV to oral.
The recommendations also highlight the benefits of appropriate Ready-To-Drink (RTD) FEE formats with known concentrations of electrolytes and energy that act as adjuvants to facilitate faster recovery in the elderly and Diabetes patients as well as support patients with longstanding hospitalisations for cerebrovascular accidents, COPD, and pyrexia of unknown origin as well as for infectious non-diarrhoeal illnesses.
Manish Anandani, MD, Kenvue India said, “At Kenvue, we are committed to improving patient well-being and advancing healthcare standards in India. Developed under the guidance of API leadership, these consensus-based recommendations aim to address oral fluid, electrolyte, and energy deficits, a critical area often overlooked in hospitalized patients. These deficits can significantly impact the recovery time and outcomes of patients. By implementing these recommendations, healthcare professionals can ensure optimal patient care and expedite the transition from the hospital to home. We believe this represents a significant step forward in improving patient care across India.”
Dr Vora said, “Dehydration and related deficits can significantly impede patient recovery and discharge, and these recommendations offer practical guidance for healthcare professionals to optimise patient care. The recommendations reflect the collective expertise of experienced Indian physicians, addressing a crucial issue often overlooked in hospitalised patients. We believe its implementation can positively impact patient outcomes and contribute to improved healthcare delivery across India.”
