ravitsemushoitoon

Ravitsemushoito (ravitsemushoitoon) refers to medical nutrition therapy aimed at treating disease, alleviating symptoms, and supporting recovery through targeted dietary interventions and nutrition support. It is practiced within the field of clinical dietetics and involves assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of nutrition care.

Core elements include evaluating a patient’s nutritional status, energy and protein needs, and the impact of illness on appetite and metabolism. Based on this assessment, a personalized plan is created which may encompass dietary modification, oral nutrition supplements, and, when necessary, nutrition support delivered via enteral (tube) nutrition or parenteral (intravenous) nutrition. The goals are to maintain or restore nutritional balance, improve treatment tolerance, support wound healing, and reduce complications.

Indications for ravitsemushoitoon include malnutrition or risk thereof, cancer and cancer treatment-related needs, gastrointestinal disorders, postoperative recovery, critical illness, liver or kidney disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions where nutrition affects outcomes. Treatments are typically delivered by a multidisciplinary team that may include physicians, dietitians, nurses, and speech-language pathologists, among others.

Advantages of appropriate nutrition therapy can include improved immune function, shorter hospital stays, and enhanced quality of life, though evidence varies by condition and setting. Potential risks include intolerance to feeds, aspiration with tube feeding, refeeding syndrome, and higher costs, necessitating careful monitoring and adjustment.

In practice, ravitsemushoitoon emphasizes individualized care, adherence to evidence-based guidelines, and ongoing evaluation to align nutrition interventions with clinical goals.