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Clinical Nutrition

In a variety of illnesses and conditions, health and quality of life can be maintained or even improved by a clinical nutrition therapy. Nutritional support can be provided either orally (oral nutritional supplements) or through a feeding tube (enteral nutrition) or, when the digestive tract cannot be used, through an intravenous access that is inserted directly into the veins (parenteral nutrition). The route (oral, enteral or parenteral) the type (ONS, sip or tube feed, peripheral or central venous access) and dose of the nutrition are tailored specifically to each patient's needs.

    Benefits of nutritional suppport

    Enteral nutrition:
    • providing of energy
    • providing of essential nutrients (e.g. vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, ...)
    Enteral nutrition combined with parenteral nutrition:
    • reaching the energy goal effectively
    • providing of essential nutrients
    Parenteral nutrition:
    • providing of energy and essential nutrients
Before starting nutritional support, the integrity and function of the gastrointestinal tract must be assessed to determine if nutrients should be administered enterally, parenterally or through a combination of both. The vast majority of nutritional therapy for seriously malnourished and/or ill hospitalized patients is by the parenteral route for those with completely compromised alimentary tract function and by the enteral route for those with partially or completely functioning gastrointestinal tracts.