Abstract

PINEDA PEREZ, Susana. Soporte nutricional en la atención primaria de salud. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2003, vol.19, n.3. ISSN 0864-2125.

The nutrimental energetic malnourishment is a problem faced by many hospitalized and ambulatory patients, which, under different circumstances, gets worse due to various factors like the decreased food intake, the increased losses, the rise in metabolic output and occasionally extended fasting. In the last two decades, the nutritional support has been a priority included in the set of measures that have allowed higher survival rates and better quality of life. The new concepts in care and recovery of patients at their homes, supported by relatives and the joint work undertaken by the corresponding health teams open up new possibilities in the use of nutritional support. Despite the evidence about the need of applying this support, it is required to be more systematic to determine how it will be used, therefore, some aspects related to the importance of the nutritional evaluation, indication and ways of administering nutritional support, either parenteral or enteral. The paper suggests the development of a strategy for the use of nutritional support in Primary Health Care.

Keywords : NUTRITIONAL STATUS; NUTRITION ASSESSMENT; PRIMARY HEALTH CARE; ENTERAL NUTRITION; PARENTERAL NUTRITION.