In order to reduce the overall risk of stress gastritis in ICU patients mechanically ventilated for >48 hours, their gastric pH level should be kept greater than:
A. 3When patients in the ICU have a major bleed from stress gastritis, the mortality risk is as high as 50%. It is important to keep the gastric pH greater than 4 to decrease the overall risk for stress gastritis in patients mechanically ventilated for 48 hours or greater and patients who are coagulopathic. Proton pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists, and intragastric antacid installation are all effective measures. However, patients who are not mechanically ventilated or who do not have a history of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease should not be placed on gastritis prophylaxis postoperatively because it carries a higher risk of causing pneumonia.