Preventing confusion after heart surgery with acetaminophen
Scheduled Prophylactic 6-hourly IV Acetaminophen to Prevent Postoperative Delirium in Older Cardiac Surgical Patients (PANDORA) - Administrative Supplement
This project is looking at whether giving older patients acetaminophen regularly after heart surgery can help prevent confusion and disorientation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302871 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
After heart surgery, some older patients can experience confusion, known as delirium, which can be very distressing. This project aims to see if a common pain reliever, acetaminophen, given through an IV every six hours for the first two days after surgery, can help prevent this confusion. Researchers believe that acetaminophen might work by reducing inflammation and pain, which are factors that can contribute to delirium. By using a widely available and safe medication, this approach could offer a simple way to improve recovery for many patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients aged 60 or older who are undergoing cardiac surgery.
Not a fit: Patients who are not undergoing cardiac surgery or are younger than 60 years old would not directly benefit from this specific intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a simple and safe way to significantly reduce the risk of confusion and disorientation for older patients recovering from heart surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Few pharmacological interventions have shown conclusive success in preventing postoperative delirium, making this a novel and important area of investigation.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Subramaniam, Balachundhar — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Subramaniam, Balachundhar
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.