Is this the real life… or is this just fantasy?
As Emergency physicians we need frequent exposure to critically unwell patients in order to hone our resuscitation skills. It is often said that the mark of a good critical care clinician is one who runs towards the sickest... read more
For Doctors, Delving Deeper as a Way to Avoid Burnout
The consequences of burning out — a phenomenon that rises linearly as a doctor matures, until it finally dies down at about 60 — can be hard to measure. Some solutions to fixing burnout are therefore pragmatic. They involve... read more
Adjunct and Rescue Therapies for Refractory Hypoxemia
Prone position, inhaled nitric oxide, high frequency oscillation, extra corporeal life support. The mortality of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), defined with a PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 100 mmHg... read more
Communicating with Conscious and Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients
Ventilator-dependent patients in the ICU often experience difficulties with one of the most basic human functions, namely communication, due to intubation. Although various assistive communication tools exist, these are infrequently... read more
Mechanical Ventilation/Ventricular Assist Devices, An Issue of Critical Care Clinics
This issue of Critical Care Clinics focuses on Mechanical Ventilation and Ventricular Assist Devices, with topics including: Targeted management approach to cardiogenic shock; Prevention and treatment of right heart failure... read more
When ICU Delirium Leads To Symptoms Of Dementia After Discharge
Doctors have gradually come to realize that people who survive a serious brush with death in the intensive care unit are likely to develop potentially serious problems with their memory and thinking processes. This dementia,... read more
Comparison between procalcitonin and C-reactive protein to predict blood culture results in ICU patients
Biomarkers represent an essential tool for identification of patients developing infection and to determine their clinical severity. Procalcitonin (PCT) levels appeared to be correlated with the development of severe bacterial... read more
Meet the trillions of viruses that make up your virome
If you think you don’t have viruses, think again. It may be hard to fathom, but the human body is occupied by large collections of microorganisms, commonly referred to as our microbiome, that have evolved with us since... read more
Navigating Medical Emergencies – An interactive guide to patient management
This free eBook presents emergent clinical situations and the core tasks required of healthcare professionals needing to recognize, navigate and safely manage them. It's really about how to perform the ABCs while protecting... read more
The A.S.P.E.N. Pediatric Nutrition Support Core Curriculum
A valuable resource for certification preparation and the daily nutrition care of pediatric patients focusing on the importance of nutrition to the growth and development of children. Written with an interdisciplinary evidence-based... read more
ESPEN Guideline on Clinical Nutrition in the ICU
Following the new ESPEN Standard Operating Procedures, the previous guidelines to provide best medical nutritional therapy to critically ill patients have been updated. These guidelines define who are the patients at risk,... read more
ICU Care Improved with Conflict Management Education
Stressful by nature, the intensive care unit (ICU) inevitably faces conflicts due to immediate and cohesive action from physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and advanced practitioners. In an effort to help improve... read more
Alcohol Withdrawal: One Order to Sedate Them All
This is a retrospective cohort study describing 86 admissions to the ICU for alcohol withdrawal between 2011-2015. 86% were treated with benzodiazepines before ICU admission, usually on the general ward. The average dose... read more
Triiodothyronine Replacement in Critically Ill Adults with Non-thyroidal Illness Syndrome
This study suggests that with triiodothyronine (T3) supplementation there was evidence of serum free T3 normalization without evidence of associated harms. A definitive trial is needed to evaluate clinical effectiveness.... read more
