ABSTRACT
Critically ill patients require nutritional support. Malnutrition is a common problem in critically ill patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It may be present on admission or can develop during the course of critical illness. In starvation, fat and protein are lost, but the protein loss is minimised and fat oxidation becomes the principal source of energy. However, in critical illness, with hypermetabolism, accelerated protein catabolism occurs. The rationale for providing nutritional support for critically ill patients is to prevent the breakdown of muscle and visceral protein.
