Lisa Burry’s research focuses on symptom management in the intensive care unit (ICU), in particular preventing or treating delirium in the ICU through approaches such as optimizing sedation.
Burry’s research is helping to address sedation and delirium in the ICU and improve patient care. In a recent study, Burry observed that 90% of patients in the ICU are exposed to opioids and sedatives, especially in the form on continuous infusions which are known to accumulate and prolong time on a breathing machine. In another large study, her group showed that two benzodiazepines and drugs with anticholinergic activity are independently associated with delirium in ICU patients. Knowing which medications increase the risk of delirium and how best to administer these drugs allows clinicians to strategize treatments that minimize the use of these drugs. Burry has also completed large systematic reviews on delirium prevention, delirium treatment, and sedation in mechanically ventilated patients that will be incorporated into the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s newest guidelines for prevention and treatment of delirium.