[Differential indications: parenteral-enteral nutrition in intensive care patients].

The number of patients admitted to the intensive care unit because of malabsorption is remarkably high. Therefore nutritional therapy plays an important role in the management of intensive care patients. At the beginning of nutritional support the extent of deficiency and severity of nutritional disturbances as well as estimated duration of impossibility for oral alimentation have to be set up. Furthermore advantages and disadvantages of parenteral and enteral nutrition have to be considered to avoid any possible complications.