Baxter unveils high protein nutrition formulation

Baxter International Inc., global company specializing in clinical nutrition, showcased its latest addition in its olive oil-based parenteral nutrition portfolio at the 40th Congress of the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.

Currently approved in Canada, OLIMEL 7.6% is a ready-to-use solution designed to meet the needs of high stress patients by combining the highest protein with the lowest glucose formulation available in a standardized, triple-chamber bag.

Critically ill patients and those who have major surgery may require parenteral nutrition, which may be necessary when a patient cannot get adequate nutrients orally or through tube feeding. Most of these patients receive less than half of the protein that is recommended for more than 10 days in the ICU5. While recent studies show that higher protein treatments were associated with lower mortality rates in the ICU6 , 7 giving patients more protein with ready-to-use products can have the unintended consequence of increasing their intake of glucose and potentially lead to overfeeding.

"Ready-to-use products containing higher protein may help patients reach their protein targets, and help them ensure they have the best chance to survive and recover their quality of life after an ICU stay," said Dr. Paul Wischmeyer, professor of anesthesiology and surgery at Duke University School of Medicine.