Need for Nutrition Support
                                                      • Nutrition support: delivery 
       • Nutrition support may be                         of formulated nutrients by 
           required to meet patient’s                     feeding tube or 
           nutritional needs                              intravenous infusion
            – Patients often too ill to               • Enteral nutrition:  
               obtain energy & nutrients                  supplying nutrients using 
               by consuming foods                         GI tract, including tube 
            – Or illness may interfere                    feedings & oral diets
               with eating, digestion or              •
               absorption                                 Parenteral nutrition:  
                                                          intravenous provision of 
                                                          nutrients, bypassing the GI 
                                                          tract
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      Nutrition & Diet Therapy (7  Edition)
           Selecting a Feeding Route
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      Nutrition & Diet Therapy (7  Edition)
             Enteral Nutrition Support
       • Wide selection of enteral formulas, designed to 
           meet variety of medical & nutritional needs
       • May be used alone or in conjunction with other 
           foods
       • Many formulas can provide all of nutrient 
           requirements if consumed in sufficient volume
       • Classified according to macronutrient composition
       • Preferred over intravenous feedings
                                                                             Enteral nutrition 
                                                                            requires intact & 
                                                                           normal GI function
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      Nutrition & Diet Therapy (7  Edition)
            Types of Enteral Formulas
       • Standard formula: for patients who can digest & 
           absorb nutrients without difficulty; contains protein 
           & carbohydrate sources
       • Hydrolyzed formulas: used for patients with 
           compromised digestive or absorptive functions—  
           macronutrients are partially or fully broken down & 
           require little, if any, digestion before absorption
       • Disease-specific formulas: designed to meet 
           nutrient needs of patients with particular disorders: 
           liver, kidney, lung diseases, glucose intolerance, 
           metabolic stress
       • Modular formulas: contain only one or two 
           macronutrients; used to enhance other formulas
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      Nutrition & Diet Therapy (7  Edition)
             Enteral Nutrition in Medical 
                                              Care
       • Oral use                                     • Patients can drink enteral 
            – Supplement diet when                        formulas when they are 
               food consumption does                      unable to consume enough 
               not meet need                              food from a conventional diet
            – Reliable source of 
               nutrients & energy
            – Taste important 
               consideration
       • Tube feedings
            – Used when patient 
               cannot consume enough 
               food or formula orally
            – Feeding delivered directly 
               to stomach or intestine
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      Nutrition & Diet Therapy (7  Edition)