Background: Patients are frequently ordered to fast while hospitalized. Though these “nil per os” (NPO) orders are often placed for sound clinical reasons (e.g. small bowel obstruction), they are also frequently placed in preparation for imaging studies or procedures to reduce the theoretical risk of aspiration. There is often a great deal of confusion among […]

Background: Hospitalized patients are often kept fasting for various reasons, including clinical conditions, procedures and imaging, or dysphagia (1). Studies have demonstrated the harm of excessive fasting, including increased post-operative delirium (2), thirst and hunger, and patient dissatisfaction. Accordingly, recent guidelines have promoted a more liberal preoperative fasting strategy, namely, allowing clear liquids up to […]